Ralph Felton

Ralph Lamar Felton passed away peacefully in his home on June 4th. Ralph was born in Pensacola, FL, on July 12th, 1936, to Alvin R. and Marie L. (Dupich) Felton.

As a young boy, Ralph and his family struggled to make ends meet, which made life that much more difficult after his father drowned in the Gulf of Mexico when Ralph was just 3 years old.

From 1949-1955 Ralph attended St. Bernard’s Monastery School in Cullman, Alabama. In 1958, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was honorably discharged in 1962 but quickly reenlisted and ultimately served until 1964. During his time in the military, Ralph's duty included several tours on the USS Midway- sailing to Pearl Harbor, Guam, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan during the Vietnam War.

Shortly after leaving the military, while living in Orange County, Ralph met the beautiful Bernadine Hager while working at his brother’s Jack in the Box. The two later married in 1965 and settled in Billings. Together they purchased the home on Harvard Ave, in which he lived for 60 years, until his passing. Ralph used his GI bill to start college and finish his education with a master’s degree and then some. He began his career as an English teacher in 1970 and taught thousands of students while ensuring The Diary of Anne Frank was included in his curriculum. Ralph continued to teach at several different secondary schools in School District 2 until his retirement in 1998.

Life with Ralph’s family included plenty of hunting, camping, skiing, and fishing trips throughout Montana and the surrounding areas. Visiting Chico Hot Springs with his children and grandchildren became a summer tradition, and sharing a meal with his loved ones was always appreciated by Ralph. He was an avid fly fisherman and snow skier, and enjoyed ballroom dancing, golfing and expanding his spirituality, but his favorite hobby was reading.

Ralph is preceded in death by his father Alvin, mother Marie, brother Greg, and sister Louise. He leaves his daughter Rachelle (Mark), son Jon (Katie), grandchildren Dillon (Janie), Savannah, Jacob (Megan), Joshua, and Madison, and great-grandchildren Kassini, Castiel, and Kenzlee, and his beloved companion Paco.

“Everything I have ever said, and everything I have ever done may be incorrect” -Ralph, May 16th, 2019.