James Ray Ralston, age 86, of Richland Springs, Texas passed away Monday morning, October 15, at the Care Inc. Nursing and Rehab Center.
He was born September 9, 1933 in Springdale, Arkansas, the son of Orville “Ray” Ralston and Alice Kendrick Ralston. He was an Eagle Scout and earned a Bachelors and Master’s Degree in Geology from the University of Arkansas where he was an Alumni and inducted into the Razorback Band Wall of Honor in 2007. He received a Doctor of Philosophy from North Texas State University. He served in the U. S. Army during the Korean War and worked for the U. S. Air Force, McGaw Laboratories and later retired from the City of Richardson as an Environmental Microbiologist. After retiring and moving to Richland Springs in 1998, he donated many volunteer hours completing Breeding Bird Surveys for the Department of the Interior, Water Monitoring for Texas-Watch-Texas Natural Resource Commission, and as an EMT for the San Saba EMS. He was married to Vera Bolinger in 1966 at San Antonio, Texas and was a member of the First Baptist Church in Richland Springs.
He is survived by his wife, Vera Lee Ralston of Richland Springs, a son, Mark Ralston of Richland Springs, Three grandchildren, Hannah, Maggie, and James Ralston all of Flower Mound. He was preceded in death by a brother, Richard Ralston and a niece, Lisa Ralston.
Funeral services will be held at 2 PM on Wednesday, October 16, at the First Baptist Church of Richland Springs with Bro. Barry Fikes officiating.
Visitation will be held from 12:30 until service time. Burial with military honors will be held following at the Mesquite Cemetery in San Saba County.
Friends are encouraged to sign the guestbook at www.davismorrisfuneralhome.com
