Ralph Nesler, Sr.

The funeral service for Ralph I. Nesler, Sr., 84, Lawrence, Kansas, will be held at 3p.m. Tuesday, June 15, 2010 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lawrence. Military honors will follow the service.  He died on Friday, June 11, 2010 at Brandon Woods at Alvamar.

He was born on July 5, 1925 in Virginia, Minnesota, the son of Rudolph C. and Hazel A. Larson Nesler. He was a resident of Lawrence since 1990.

Mr. Nesler served his country in the United States Army during WWII, Korea and Vietnam.  He retired as a Sergeant Major in 1973.  He was a member of the Alford-Clarke Post #852 of the VFW and Dorsey-Liberty Post #14 of the American Legion, Lawrence.

He taught JROTC at Central High School in St. Joseph, Missouri for several years.

He married Lorraine A. Schacht on November 8, 1947 in Rochester, Minnesota.  She survives of the home.

Other survivors include one son, Ralph I. Nesler, Jr., and wife Linda, Buckner, Missouri; two daughters, Linda L. Eckard and husband, Stephen, St. Joseph, Missouri, Janice Nesler-Loux, and husband, Donald Loux, Lawrence, Kansas; eight grandchildren, Linda Christian, Steven  Nesler, Erin Maddox, Dane Eckard, Alex Eckard, Ronald Ellis, III, Eric Loux, and Brian Loux,; four great granddaughters; one great-great grandson, and one sister, Marjorie A. Oeltjen, Rochester, Minnesota.  He was preceded in death by three brothers, Norman C., Rollie E., Robert H., and one sister, Mayme Bishop.

The family will greet friends from 2-3 p.m. Tuesday at the church.

Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the Douglas County Visiting Nurses Association, Rehabilitation and Hospice Care, or the American Cancer Society and may be sent in care of the Warren-McElwain Mortuary in Lawrence, Kansas.