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Ralph Olsen Avery

Ralph Olsen Avery

Born In: Grates Cove
Born: October 1st, 1925

Passed on: April 7th, 2015

Ralph Olsen Avery passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 7, surrounded by his family. A son of Newfoundland, Ralph studied and began his career in Winnipeg, Ontario, worked and lived in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and retired to Marco Island, Florida. Ralph was born in Grates Cove, Newfoundland on October 1, 1925 to William Bertram Avery and Elsa (Martin) Avery, one of six children. Growing up in a small fishing village, he was fascinated by his family’s business, which bought and sold cod and cod liver oil and was a supplier of groceries, fishing supplies, and general merchandise to Grates Cove and several surrounding communities. A proficient student, he was sent to St. John’s, Newfoundland to begin his studies at Memorial University College. Then, at 19, he transferred to the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg to study medicine. After interrupting his education for a stint in the Canadian Army, he returned to school for several years until a part time job with the Canadian National Railroad rekindled his business mind. He began what was to be a successful career in railroading, first with the CN, and then with what eventually came, through mergers, to be the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad. He retired from BNSF as an Assistant Vice President in 1989 after 36 years.
Ralph met his true love, Betty Kilfoyle, in Winnipeg. They eventually married and produced a daughter, Donna. When he was recruited by the Northern Pacific Railway, they emigrated to Minnesota, where Ralph took on his new position in transportation sales. They settled first in Saint Louis Park, and joyfully added a son, Brian. Ralph was transferred to the company’s headquarters in Saint Paul, and the young family moved there and resided on the East Side near Lake Phalen for many years. They built a house at Evergreen in Woodbury in 1980, where they lived until Ralph’s retirement. Then they packed up and moved to the paradise that for them was Marco Island, Florida.
Ralph loved large bodies of water, fish and fishing, and possessed an encyclopedic knowledge of species and behaviors. He and his family spent many happy summers at the family cabin on Big Stony Lake near Park Rapids, Minnesota, where he shared his knowledge and passion with his children and grandchildren. Regular trips to his beloved Grates Cove were exotic experiences for his citified children, where the family house facing the ocean looked toward Ireland, and jigging for cod was a required and memorable experience. He enjoyed golf, and was a long time member of the Minneapolis Golf Club and then of the Hideaway Beach Club on Marco Island.
Ralph took a leadership position in almost every endeavor. He was chair of the Prosperity Heights PTA and later of the Parents Association of Johnson High School in Saint Paul. He was treasurer of the Arlington Heights Presbyterian Church. He was on the Board of Lakewood Community College in Saint Paul. He served on the Board of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority. Ralph and his spouse Betty lived at South Seas Northwest on Marco Island for 25 years, where he served for 20 years on the Board of the SSNW Condominium Association, eventually as its president and, until his death, its treasurer. He also represented the Association on the board of the South Seas Club. Gregarious, he was well-known and respected by staff, management, owners, and guests.
Ralph loved railroading and was an expert in grain and transportation issues. He specialized in grain shipping and pricing and in marketing. He taught a course in transportation economics at Lakewood and at Saint Paul College, and was a frequent lecturer on the topic. He was a popular speaker and master of ceremonies at industry functions. He will be remembered for his insatiable curiosity, his interest in politics local and global, his willingness to take any side of an argument, and his stories of Grates Cove. He tenaciously loved life and he loved people.
Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Ben and Roy, and his sisters Phyllis (Strong) and Sarah. He is survived by his wife Betty; his older sister Rhetta (Mattinson) and his dear niece Bengenia (March); his daughter Donna, her husband Tom Kigin, and their daughters Mackenzie and Elizabeth; his son Brian and his wife Katherine (Pine), and their sons William and Connor; and a large circle of treasured nieces, nephews and dear friends.
There is a memorial website where you can contribute your stories, memories and condolences at www.dignitymemorial.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation to help prevent and combat the universal problem of heart disease, or to the charity of your choice. RIP





 

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