- Date Of Birth: October 8, 1920
- Date Of Death: April 29, 2022
- State: Indiana
Ralph Eldon Davis passed away peacefully at Altenheim Senior Living in Indianapolis, IN on Friday April 29th, 2022 at the age of 101.
He was surrounded by the thoughts, prayers, and presence of all those that loved him.
Ralph was born on October 8th, 1920 in Brookville, IN to Roy Vernon and Hariett Olive Davis.
Ralph was the second of four siblings, born after Chester, followed by Howard, then his sister, Ruth. He attended Odon Elementary and Odon High School but transferred to Emmanuel High School in Indianapolis for his junior and senior year.
Ralph served during World War II, departing from Boston, MA on October 31st, 1944 on the USS America. He camped for three nights outside Liverpool before taking the train to Southampton by way of Bristol.
After leaving Sears Roebuck in 1954, Ralph began at A.B. Dick Co. where he worked until his retirement in 1985.
During his three decades of volunteer work for UIndy’s athletic department, Ralph was named the Greyhound Club’s “I” Person of the Year in 1990-1991, voted into the Greyhound Club’s Hall of Fame in 2002, named the National Association of Athletic Development Directors (NAADD) “Volunteer of the Year” in 2003, and received the US Presidential Volunteer of the Year Award in 2014. Matt Donovan, Senior Associate A.D. for Development at UIndy, said this about Ralph’s legacy, “He worked hard, stayed behind the scenes, and never wanted any of the credit. You won’t nd anyone so committed, so loyal.
As a testament to the man Ralph has always been, friends and family put together a video to wish him a happy 100th birthday in 2020. Besides the numerous friends from various communities that Ralph helped foster and the generations of family that were eager to celebrate him, he received well-wishes from the likes of Governor Holcomb and coaching sta from the Indianapolis Colts. Ralph kept his family close, his friends in mind, and his communities at heart. His warmth and spirit have always been far-reaching and will reverberate through countless lives and circles forever.
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