RALPH FREDERICK SCHLENKER, LCDR, USNR (Ret.)

On Sunday, March 4, 1928, Ralph Frederick Schlenker was born in the family farm house on a farm south of Ankeny Iowa, to Rosa Evelyn (Rose) Crosby Schlenker and John Wesley Schlenker. He was the fifth of six children, following the births of James, Marjorie, Kenneth, and Gladys, and preceding his younger brother Larry. Since 1966 Ralph has resided in rural Indianola.  His life's journey ended on March 16, 2018.

He was raised on the family farm south of Ankeny and graduated from Woodside High School in 1945, which later became part of the Saydel School District.

He married Charlotte Jane (Char) Peterson of Des Moines on October 7, 1950.   They remained married for over 66 years, until Charlotte passed away February 9, 2017.

Ralph was a 1949 electrical engineering graduate of Iowa State having received a B.S. E.E. He was employed by Iowa Power & Light Co. on graduation and remained with the company or its successor entities until his retirement as Vice-Chairman.  He started with the company as a student intern, later serving as Western Division Manager in Council Bluffs, then Senior Vice – President, and later Executive Vice-President.   He helped design the Midwest electrical grid in the 1950's and 60's, with interconnections to the hydroelectric dams in the Dakotas. He was head of governmental relations for the company for many years.

He is survived by his four children, Mark F. (Leila) Schlenker, John D. (Kumiko) Schlenker, Robert E. Schlenker, and Mary Jane (Michael) Miller, four grandchildren, Rachel and Mark, of Minneapolis, as well as Hannah (Carsten) Moeller and Paul, of Indianola, and two great grandsons, Frederick and Todd Moeller of Indianola.    Twelve nephews and nieces also survive him.

His parents, all of his siblings, and his brother and sister in law, Frank and JoAnne Flaherty predeceased him, in addition to Char.

Ralph was active in his church and many professional and civic groups. He was a professional registered engineer, and retired from the U.S. Navy Reserve, having entered as a Seaman and retired as a Lt. Commander.  He attained recognition in the Navy for being promoted directly from Chief Petty Officer to Lt. J.G. He was a past State Chair of the U.S. Defense Dept. Employers In Support of the Guard & Reserve (ESGR), and received numerous awards for his service to that group, including the James M. Roche Spirit of Volunteerism Award and the ESGR Spirit of Volunteerism Award. From the U.S. Sec. of Defense he was given the Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service and from the Sec. of the Army the Oustanding Civilian Service Medal.

Ralph served as President of the Mid Iowa Council of the Boy Scouts of America and received the Silver Beaver Award, the highest award for service given by a local Scout council, although never a Scout himself.  He was in 4H as a youth and was a champion potato grower.

He served on the boards of social service organizations in Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Des Moines, and was the Methodist Bishop's choice to serve on the Simpson College Board of Trustees and the Methodist Hospital Board, where he was Vice President.   He was a member of First United Methodist Church in Indianola.

Ralph supported Iowa State University as a donor and member of the ISU Foundation Board.  He was a lifetime Cyclone season ticket holder for football and men's basketball. He was named an Honorary Faculty Member of Engineering at Iowa State.

He enjoyed many years of walleye fishing trips to Minnesota and Canada, and was an excellent hunter of upland game and waterfowl.  In the 60's he raised Brittany Spaniels as a hobby and exported the first Brittanys to Japan.  He was a long time member of the Des Moines Izaak Walton League, and the Beech Lake Co. He helped establish the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge at Prairie City, and was Treasurer of the Ding Darling Foundation for many years.
Ralph was able to travel around the world with the Navy and as a Defense Department ESGR volunteer.  He also traveled privately to Germany and was able to visit the church where his grandfather, Theobald Schlenker was baptized before he came to Iowa in 1853.

There will be a private internment next to Charlotte at Greenwood Cemetery near Ankeny, and a public memorial service will be at First United Methodist Church in Indianola, Iowa, on March 21,2018, at 11:00 a.m.  Visitation will be at Overton Funeral Home in Indianola on Tuesday, March 20, from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

The family wishes to extend special thanks to those caretakers and their staffs who assisted Ralph in his last illness.  Special thanks to Dr. Eric Holm, Dr. Tom Buroker, and the staff at Windsor Manor, who were there for him at all times over the last two years.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to the Iowa State University Foundation, the Simpson College Music Dept., or the Mid Iowa Council of the Boy Scouts of America.