Steven Ray Ralson

Steven Ralston LYONS, Colorado - Steven Ray Ralston, 59, died Saturday, Dec. 29, 2007, in his home. Funeral Service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 12, 2008, at the Lyons Community Church, Lyons, Colorado. The Rev. Mark Heiss will officiate. Memorial donations may be made to the Lyons Community Foundation, Lyons Golden Gang, Anchor Center for Blind Children or any MS Society, in care of Ahlberg Funeral Chapel. Mr. Ralston was born June 27, 1948, in Iowa City, the son of Frank and Opal Masters Ralston. He grew up in Muscatine. By the time he entered high school, he had developed a wide range of interests and skills. He excavated fossils, was a rock hound, created lapidary jewelry, dug bottles, salvaged stained glass windows and purchased fine antique furniture. He customized a 1956 Chevy into a drag racer, competing in many sanctioned drag racing events. He enjoyed aviation and made several parachute jumps. He was awarded his Eagle Scout badge in 1964 and helped man the scout exhibit at the New York World's Fair in 1965. After graduation from Muscatine High School in 1966, he earned an associate's degree at Eastern Iowa Community College in 1968 a...[more]

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attended Iowa State University to study petroleum engineering. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1969 and served two tours of duty in Vietnam with distinction, earning several medals and citations. He and his brother founded Ralston Bros. Antiques Inc. He was a master restoration craftsman. His restorations of Wurlitzer jukeboxes set a world standard. He married Christine Miller Field on June 6, 1981. Together they owned one of the longest, continually-operating antique shops in Colorado. With an avid interest in WWII aviation and air racing, he traveled to many airplane museums and air show and racing events. He grew roses and tomatoes, was an excellent cook and could fix anything. He freely shared his vast knowledge and expertise along with a special sense of humor with others and will be greatly missed. He is survived by his wife, Christine Ralston of Lyons, Colorado; a brother, Dick Ralston and his wife, Kathryn, of Lyons; two sisters, Valerie Hutchison and husband, Gary, of Denver and Donita Nelson and husband, Mike, of Colorado Springs; and several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, his aunt, Olive Masters, and several aunts, uncles and cousins.