Paulsen, Ralph

Ralph Paulsen, 82, of rural Scotch Grove, died Thursday morning, Feb. 4, 2010, at St. Luke's Hospital, Cedar Rapids, following a brief illness. Funeral services will be held 11 Saturday morning, Feb. 6, at Scotch Grove Presbyterian Church, with interment in Scotch Grove Cemetery. The Rev. Penny Thompson will officiate at the services. Friends may call from 4 until 7 p.m. today at Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello.  

Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com

Surviving are his loving wife, Joyce; five children, Susan (Bob) Hines, Monticello, Nancy Paulsen, Iowa City, Steve (Judy) Paulsen and Tom Paulsen, both of Scotch Grove, and Lisa (Bob) Moore, Anthem, Ariz.; 11 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; two sisters, Kathleen (Cliffford) Decker, Monticello, and Ruth (Glenn) Mills, Waverly, Minn.; and a sister-in-law, Evelyn Paulsen, Scotch Grove. 

He was preceded in death by his parents; an infant son, Patrick John; his brother, Paul Ernie; and a son-in-law, Ron Blong. Ralph E. Paulsen was born Sept. 1, 1927, at Center Junction, Iowa. He was the son of Paul H. and Katherine Himebaugh Paulsen. Ralph received his education in the Center Junction Schools, graduating as valedictorian of the class of 1944.   Ralph then started his life's work of farming.   Ralph married Joyce Otten on June 12, 1946, at Scotch Grove Presbyterian Church. The couple farmed east of Scotch Grove and were still faming actively at the time of Ralph's death.

Ralph was a life long member of the Scotch Grove Presbyterian Church, where he was a trustee and Sunday school teacher. He had also been a 4-H leader and a member of the ASC board for 30 years.