- Date Of Birth: May 2, 1961
- Date Of Death: March 18, 2021
- State: Colorado
Ralph Goehringer of Gunnison passed away unexpectedly March 18, 2021. Ralph was born on May 2, 1961 in Reno, Nevada to Hugo and Gerda Goehringer. Ralph grew up in Glen Ellen, California and graduated from Sonoma Valley High School in 1979. Ralph raised his son in Sonoma, California and moved to the Gunnison Valley in 2008. He is survived by his son Christopher Goehringer and fiancee Julie Blomster of Santa Rosa, CA, mother, Gerda Goehringer, of Gunnison, CO, sisters Heidi (Danny)Dwyer of Sonoma, CA and Sonja (Chris)Parmeter of Gunnison, CO, and two nieces, Christina (Ryan)Dieckmann and Tori Dwyer, and three nephews, Daniel Dwyer, Dustin Jake Parmeter, and Joey Parmeter. Ralph loved sports, classic rock music, fishing, family and friends. Having grown up in California, he was unwaveringly loyal to the Giants, 49ers and Sharks, and could cite stats on each team and player like he owned them himself. He had the same knack for classic rock music – upping the ante of “Name that Tune” to include the album, year of release, even band members & their bios. Living in Gunnison, Ralph spent plenty of time on the Gunnison and Taylor Rivers, plying his trusty Rapala in search of trout, often fishing every day in the summer, but always packing it up after catching his first fish of the day, so that he wouldn’t “jinx” himself by being greedy. Ralph worked a variety of jobs in the Gunnison area, and seemed to know everybody. His cheerful, boisterous, unabashed greeting – whether from across the threshold or across the street – had genuine friendship in it. And he never forgot your name, no matter if he had umpired your middle-school softball game, dishing you a slice of pizza at Western Colorado University, or picked you up in the senior-bus to chauffer you on your errands. He was a people-person and befriended everyone he met from eight to eighty. But he was closest to his own family: nieces, nephews, grandnieces and nephew, and most of all, his son Christopher, of whom he was especially proud. His razor-edged wit, cunning sense of humor and charismatic attitude were akin to that wise-cracking rabbit Bugs Bunny – his cartoon totem. They also garnered him wide recognition, being named one of Western’s “10 most Interesting People” on campus, and 2018 Award for Staff Excellence from Gunnison Valley Health.
