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23 August 2010
Ralph Austin
16 August 1925 – 18 August 2010
My dear Uncle Ralph had just celebrated his 85th birthday. Though Richard has described him as living on "borrowed time" due to the various health issues older age had presented him, he maintained an incredible stamina and joy for life. And he never complained. His lack of moaning is one thing I remember of him the most – that and his breezy, light-hearted sense of humour. Uncle Ralph was always one of the most pleasant and fun people in my life since my earliest memories of him. He and my Aunt Florence, my father's youngest sister, have celebrated 64 married years together. Within my enormously dysfunctional extended family, the Austin family has been the one oasis of mutual harmony and functionality in contrast to the rest. Ralph and Florence have three beautiful, talented and admirably accomplished children, Judy, Cathy and Mark, who, along with their respective spouses, Larry, Barry and Becca, I feel most privileged to have and love as my relatives. Cathy and Barry have two lovely daughters, Kathryn and Jennifer (married to yet another Mark), who continue the brilliant legacy.
I am grateful beyond words to have had three wonderful and loving days with Ralph and Florence just six days before his sudden and unexpected passing. He was as amusing as ever and had us constantly laughing – as I always have expected from him. When we recall the "Ralph Vortex," as we put it, when Uncle Ralph would be giving destination directions, a seemingly endless circular explanation, we continue to laugh. We were able to enjoy his homemade pizza and, on the morning of our departure, his legendary Bloody Marys – in this case as Virgin Marys since we were to be driving and it was breakfast time. Uncle Ralph still asked us if we wanted orange juice as well. That in itself was typically thoughtful and darling.
Though his absence is now painful for us all, I want to celebrate the man whose life was so full, so kind, and so lovely. He passed as easily and quickly as any of us would wish for ourselves. With a long and as perfect a marriage as any, his was a celebratory life, and I wish to honour that and express my love for my Uncle Ralph at this time.