Ralph D. Hiser

Ralph D. Hiser, 100, of Rockford, formerly of Decatur, passed away on May 23, 2017, at the Grand Victorian Assisted Living in Rockford. Ralph was born on August 1, 1916, near Oakley, Illinois, the youngest of the eight children of Simon P. and Ada (Hedden) Hiser. He married Helen E. Wright on June 8, 1943, in Lawton, Oklahoma. She preceded him in death on April 19, 2009. They were married almost 66 years. Ralph grew up on a farm in Oakley. After graduating from high school he moved to Decatur to attend Brown’s Business College. He then worked for the A.W. Cash Company. Ralph was a World War II Army veteran who served from 1942 to 1945. He was stationed at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma and served in the General Accounting Office and as an artillery instructor. Returning to Decatur, he continued with A.W. Cash until 1958 when he accepted a position with A.W. Cash Valve Manufacturing Corporation (Cash Acme), where he worked in sales and became a vice president before his retirement in 1983. He was a member of the 1st Evangelical United Brethren Church in Decatur, which became Central United Methodist in 1959, and was an active member until his move to Rockford in 2010. He taught Sunday school, sang in the choir and served on many committees. He was also a member of the Decatur Masonic Temple. Ralph was a lifelong St. Louis Cardinals fan and was in attendance at the 1946 World Series. He was also a lifelong fisherman and passed his love of fishing and considerable ability to his children and grandchildren. In retirement he took up woodworking. He enjoyed woodworking, golf and fishing into his 90’s. Ralph and Helen also traveled to England, Europe, New England, the Southwest, and the Mid-Atlantic states. He and Helen also spent vacations each year in Wisconsin - first in Fish Creek with friends and then in later years with the children and grandchildren and great grandchildren at Boyd’s Mason Lake Resort in Fifield. His sense of humor, honor and compassion were evident throughout his life. He was a wonderful husband and father and a grandfather. Through him his grandchildren heard many stories of his youth that he had never told his children! He loved dogs and was a master gardener. His tomatoes were legendary as were his green beans. Surviving are his daughter, Martha (Richard) Dauphinais of Forest Hill, MD;his son, Dr. Mark (Theresa) Hiser of Rockford; his grandchildren, Emily (Christopher) Lobdell of Glen Ellyn, IL, Daniel (Elizabeth) Hiser of Des Moines, IA, Jennifer Dauphinais-Cearfoss of Fallston, MD, Samuel (Andrea) Hiser of Rockford, and Scott (Karen) Dauphinais of Fallston, MD.; his great-grandchildren, Jack, Chloe, and Declan Lobdell; Ellie, Sophie, and Will Hiser; Liam and Eva Cearfoss; George, Estelle, Violet and Max Hiser; Camryn, Nicholas, and Jackson Dauphinais. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, 5 brothers (Mervin, Vernon, Lloyd, Willis and Milo) and 2 sisters (Lotus Morr, and Opal MacDonald). We wish to acknowledge with thanks the care and compassion of Danny Lee, his longtime care-giver, and The Grand Victorian Assisted Living for the care they gave during the last seven years. Visitation will be held in Rockford on Wednesday, May 31, 2017, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory, Mulford Chapel, 1860 S. Mulford Road, Rockford IL. A visitation will also be held on June 1, 2017, from 9:00 a.m. until time of service at Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home, 2827 N. Oakland Ave, Decatur, IL. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. at Brintlinger and Earl Funeral Home followed by interment with military honors at Cerro Gordo Cemetery. Memorials may be made to Davis Phinney Foundation for Parkinson’s, 4730 Table Mesa Drive, Suite, J-200 Boulder, CO 80305. Share online condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com.