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Wednesday, May 1, 2024
Ralph Wasik
Ralph Wasik
Cedar Rapids
Ralph Wasik, a beloved member of the Cedar Rapids community, passed away peacefully on April 22. Ralph had celebrated his 75th birthday the day before, surrounded by family and enjoying his favorite meal.
Ralph is survived by his wife of 45 years, Denise, their two adult sons, Scott and Eric, and his brother, Ronald. Ralph delighted in his only grandson, William, who thinks of his grandfather as someone who had “so much love in his heart.”
Ralph was known for his unwavering dedication to his family, his kindness towards others, and his good-natured and jovial spirit. Ralph never knew a stranger.
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota to Ralph Sr. and Joyce Wasik, Ralph was raised in Richfield, Minnesota and moved with his family to Cedar Rapids as a teenager. Ralph attended George Washington High School, graduating with the class of 1967. Next, he attended St. Olaf College in Minnesota, where he graduated cum laude and played football for the Lions, graduating in 1971. One of his greatest sources of pride was being a member of St. Olaf’s undefeated 1970 team.
While studying for his law degree at the University of North Dakota School of Law, Ralph joined the U.S. Army Reserves, training at Ft. Lee Virginia Quartermaster School. After earning his Juris Doctor degree, he practiced law for several years in Des Moines and St. Louis before returning to Cedar Rapids to start and raise his family. He joined the family business, Rapids Reproductions, a reprographic company owned and operated by his father Ralph Sr. since 1974. Ralph succeeded his brother Ronald as CEO in 1992, leading the company for nearly three successful decades.
Outside of his professional life, Ralph was known for his integrity and civic engagement. He was deeply involved in his church community at St. Mark’s Church, and was a long-time member of the St. Mark’s choir. He also enjoyed singing with the Harmony Hawks Barbershop Chorus, and was a proud member of the Cedar Rapids Noon Lions Club, serving as a past president.
Ralph leaves behind a legacy of love, kindness, and service that will continue to inspire all who had the privilege of knowing him. He will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and community.
A visitation will be held at 10:00 am with a service to follow at 11:00 am on May 10, 2024 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made either to the St. Mark’s Foundation or the Cedar Rapids Noon Lions Club.
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Guy Mueller (Mueller)
In the summer of 1965, my family and I moved to Cedar Rapids, and even though I was a nobody in school and an unknown in the neighborhood, which is to say I didn't know a soul, Ralph welcomed me. We carpooled to HS together, we played football together—he on the field and I on the bench, we sang together, we hung out and fooled around together, and from washing windows at Quaker Oats to detasseling corn and baling hay, we shared summer jobs together. But in what now seems like a blink of an eye, our paths led us to different parts of the country and to wives and then families of our own--two fine sons for Ralph and two daughters for me, yet for those few brief years, I felt as though Ralph and I were family, as though he were my brother, the brother I never had.
In our youth, Ralph and I had some lofty (crazy?) expectations. We were going to aim at northing less than making the world a better place--getting us out of Viet Nam, ending racism, saving the cities, making rivers like the Cedar swimmable again--just for starters. We had some good debates about what "better" meant, too.
Not surprizingly, it wasn't long before I realized that altering the fate of the planet with respect to its eight billion inhabitants might be a peak well beyond my climbing ability. Just the same, my memory of Ralph reminds me that a little grace now and then is possible, that we can make a difference, even if it’s only face-to-face and one person at a time. I know this is true, because it was Ralph; it was he who shared his grace with me.
Ralph, my friend, I wish you eternal peace.
--Guy Mueller
Peter Larson
Guy-
Great job of putting into words some fond memoriies of your friendship with Ralph. They are not always easy to come by. Those first friends you find in a new big city are special indeed. Thanks for sharing your memories.
John Hotchkiss
Ralph and I had the good fortune to spend four years at St. Olaf College together after we both graduated from Washington. We both had the highest respect for each other even though our paths unfortunately did not intersect much despite being in a relatively small college. That surprised me. He was always jovial and super nice with me, and I admired that he played on a league champion football team (which must have been an absolute thrill). We both wanted each other to be successful and have happy lives, and it worked out, but I certainly regret that his life was cut short at age 75. He deserved much more, and I thank him for being someone that I will always respect and appreciate. Rest in peace, Ralph.