Ralph Shelton died peacefully at home a little after noon on Saturday, Nov. 9 ^th , of natural causes.  He was 90.  His family was with him, he was comfortable and he did not suffer.

Ralph LaMar Shelton, Jr., was born April 4, 1929, in Salt Lake City, to Ida Brough and Ralph L. Shelton, Sr.  His baby sister, Betty Ann, joined the family a few years later.

Possibly Ralph's proudest accomplishment was delivering the atomic cannon for test fire in Nevada.  During the Korean War era, 2 ^nd Lt. Ralph L. Shelton commanded the squad that moved the M65 280mm cannon, "Atomic Annie" by railroad from its base at Fort Sill to the Nevada Test Site.  Lt. Shelton observed the cannon's test firing and a number of other atomic explosions. Ralph first entered military service at age 17 as a Marine private shortly after World War 2.  He transferred to the Army Reserve, where the GI Bill enabled him to pursue advanced degrees.

CAREER

"Shelton was a triple alumnus of the University of Utah (BA, 1952, MS, 1956, PhD, 1959). He started his academic career at the University of Kansas Medical Center in 1959, where he emerged over time as an international leader. He joined the faculty at the University of Arizona in 1970 where he worked until his retirement in 1998."  (UArizona Speech, Language website)

"Anyone who works in the area of cleft palate and craniofacial anomalies is aware of the significant contributions Dr. Ralph L. Shelton, Jr. has made to the field.  For over 40 years, he has raised questions, designed experiments, obtained grants to support his investigations, and educated students in the process.  His teaching, research, and clinical work has had a profound effect on the way we in speech-language pathology carry out clinical practice." (American Cleft Palate Assoc. honors letter)

Professor Shelton co-wrote Speech, Language and Hearing and Cleft Palate Speech.

He was a famously prolific editor of professional journals: Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal, Journal of Speech and Hearing Disorders, Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, American Speech and Hearing Book Reviews.

OUTDOORS

Ralph's second passion--after work--was being outdoors: hiking, camping, backpacking, and canoeing.  Throughout the 1960's the Sheltons and other UKMC families--Boones, Diedrichs, Hodgsons, et al--often paddled the Current River in Missouri.  After moving to Tucson in 1970, Ralph and children even paddled the Rillito during flood stage…twice in one day.

Ralph introduced his family to backpacking, which led to many Grand Canyon and other treks, Havasupai and the falls, Phantom Ranch, Lava Falls, Bright Angel Trail…Aravaipa Canyon, the Gila Wilderness.

Ralph's recreational choices illustrated his modesty. Instead of buying any kind of fast boat, he outfitted the family canoe with a sailing kit, including sail, mast, outrigging stabilizers (retractable!) and rudder. Instead of a motor home, he bought a number of tent trailers, which were used on the family's many trips across the States.

He rode his bicycle seven miles to work at the university and back, pretty much every day. Throughout his retirement he rode his mountain bike every day.  Later he traded it in for a recumbent trike, which he rode most days until about a week before he died.

FAMILY

Ralph married Beverly Richey in 1955 in Tooele, Utah. Their son Nathan was born in 1957, and after the Sheltons moved to Kansas City in 1959, daughter Julie was born in 1960.  The family drove southwest across country in 1970, moving to Tucson where Ralph joined the Speech and Hearing faculty at the University of Arizona for the duration of his career.

Ralph is survived by his cherished wife, Marilyn Seitzberg; by Riley Vargas, his beloved granddaughter; by daughter Julie Shelton and son, Nathan Shelton; by Nathan's step-children Sol, Javier, Laura Jr., and Rafael and by great-grandchildren Andrew, Cody, Taylor and Legend; by nieces Janeida McCombs and Diane Gamble and nephews Scott Vernon and Brent Vernon, their spouses and many children. Ralph's sister Betty Ann Giles and niece Vicky Smith passed away before him.

Ralph Shelton loved dogs throughout his life (Gussie, Abe, Whiskey, Dusty), he liked war movies and John Wayne, and liked to watch Star Trek in the 60's with the kids.

He liked to drink a beer or a glass of wine, but only one.  He bought 40 acres on a rough hillside an hour west of Tucson, parked an Airstream trailer there and for many years he and friends and family camped out at "The Land" and cooked over fire.  Later he discovered that the Airstream parking area was not on his acres.  After retirement, Ralph lived happily for many years in a guest house on the Kasulaitis family ranch in Arivaca.

Our whole lives, on meeting a colleague or student of Professor Shelton, we saw their faces light up and they would say "Ralph Shelton is your DAD !?!?!?"

We will dearly remember family drive-in movies, the many camping trips, the long drives all over the country, the hours gliding through water and reading its currents, a cruise to Alaska, travels around New Zealand, all of these and more given by or shared with our father, our Dad.

And good luck to you if you ever tried to pay the check at a restaurant after dining with Ralph.