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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Buford Spalding
BUFORD "RALPH" SPALDING
Cedar Rapids
Buford "Ralph" Spalding, 94, of Cedar Rapids, passed away March 1, 2016, at his home.
A funeral service will be held at Cedar Memorial Chapel of Memories on Friday, March 4, at 3 p.m. Visitation will be Friday from 2 to 3 p.m. Burial will be at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery following the service. Military rites will be done by Cedar Rapids VFW Post 788 and the U.S. Navy.
Ralph was born Sept. 11, 1921, to LeRoy and Ruby Spalding in Marion, Ky. Ralph joined the Navy in 1939 and served in World War II; he was at Pearl Harbor on the USS California. He married Margaret Smith on Dec. 1, 1943. He worked at Hometown Dairy as a mechanic in Iowa City for many years.
Ralph is survived by his two sons, Steve and Tom, both of Cedar Rapids; three grandchildren, Jennifer (Mike) Williams, Carrie Anne (Tom) Stone and Daniel (Miranda) Spalding; seven great-grandchildren, Jeffery, Shaun and Cameren (Thyana) Williams, Christopher (Bailey) and Nicolas Stone, Dilian and Carly Spalding; great-great-grandchildren, Izic Ray Williams and Blair Stone; siblings, Clem, Robert and Frank Spalding, Nelda Cruise and Anna Spalding.
Ralph was preceded in death by his loving wife of 57 years, Margaret; his parents; his brother, Boyd Spalding; and his brother-in-law, Leonard Smith Jr.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Breast Cancer Association in Margaret and Ralph's name.
Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.
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