House, Ralph L.

Ralph L. House, 78, of Dubuque, died Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010 at his home. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Peter Lutheran Church. Burial will be in West Union Cemetery, West Union. The family will greet friends from 4 to 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Hoffmann Schneider and Kitchen Funeral Home, 3860 Asbury Road, and again from 9 a.m. until service time at the church on Thursday.

Ralph was born Jan. 17, 1932 in rural Hawkeye, the son of Fred and Mabel (Book) House. He graduated from West Union High School in 1949. On Oct. 8, 1955, he married Ginny Nelson at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. He was employed by the former Northwestern Bell Telephone Company as a lineman and later as the supply and warehouse manager. He retired in 1986 after 35 years of service. He was an active member of the church and of the Northwestern Bell Pioneers of America Club, which he served as president for a period of time. He enjoyed traveling with the club across the United States. He enjoyed the outdoors, camping, fishing, and spending time in Clear Lake each year. After retirement, he and Ginny wintered in Port Isabelle, Texas for 15 years.

He will be remembered as a positive, warm, loving, kind, friendly person who never failed to lift up the spirits of everyone around him.

Ralph is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ginny; his children, Kristine (Mark) Kothenbeutel of Cedar Rapids, Michael of Dubuque, Jeff of Cedar Rapids, and Mark (Teresa) of Red Wing, Minn.; grandchildren Kaitlyn, Jaclyn, Andrew, Tyler, Timothy, and Tanner; a sister, Sara (Don) Moe of Cedar Falls; a niece, Stacy; and nephew, Tim.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Donald.

The family would like to thank all of Ralph's neighbors and friends and the community of St. Peter Lutheran Church for all their kindness and prayers.

Memorials may be directed to the Ralph L. House Memorial Fund.

Online condolences may be left for the family at