Briles Jr., Ralph Eugene

Ralph Eugene Briles Jr., 74, died Thursday, May 6, 2010, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids, following a long illness. Services: 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Marion, by Pastor Ronald Morrow. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Friends may visit Monday at Gospel Light Baptist Church from 5 to 8 p.m. and again on Tuesday after 10 a.m. Teahen Funeral Home in Cedar Rapids is serving the family.

Ralph is survived by his wife of 52 years, Jean; four children, Karla (Gary) Park of Walnut Creek, Calif., Paul (Doreen) Briles of Davenport, Chris (Ross) Edgerton of Cedar Rapids and Andy (Renee) Briles of Marion; nine grandchildren, Ryan, Kari, Alex, Tyler, Amanda (Tyler), Amber, Zac, Matt and Mitchell; one great-grandson on the way; and a sister, Bev (Bob) Etzel of Marion.

His parents preceded Ralph in death.

Ralph Eugene Briles Jr. was born Jan. 29, 1936, in Cedar Rapids, son of Ralph and Bertha Harris Briles Sr. He married Alma Jean Hartmann on June 22, 1957, in Cedar Rapids. Ralph was the owner of Briles Bowling Supply for 25 years. He then worked as a Realtor for Skogman Realty, retiring in 2001. He was a member of Gospel Light Baptist Church, Marion, and trusted Christ as Savior when he was a teenager.

Ralph loved to travel and bowled professionally on the weekends. He was inducted into the Iowa Bowling Hall of Fame in 1966 and Cedar Rapids Bowling Hall of Fame in 1978. Ralph won five state bowling titles and was a member of the Professional Bowling Association.

Instead of flowers, memorials may be directed to Gospel Light Baptist Church for its youth athletic fund.

Online condolences may be left for the family at