Major Ralph L. CRIST, USAF Retired Ralph Crist died February 10th, 2007 at Providence Seaside Hospital in Seaside Oregon. He was most recently a resident of Wheeler, Oregon. Ralph was born September 1st, 1927 in York, PA. He is preceded in death by his wife, Shirley Ester Puffer Crist, and by his son, Ralph L. Crist, Jr. He is survived by his sons, Gregory M. Crist, of Olympia, WA, James S. Crist of Everett, WA and Richard S. Crist of Cannon Beach, OR and by his daughter, Nancy Niebeling of Belfair, WA, his daughter-in-law, Jane Crist of Everett, WA, and his son-in-law, Darcy Niebeling of Belfair, WA, his grandchildren, Heather Crist, of Bellevue, WA, Christopher Begley of Belfair, Gregory M. Crist, Jr. of Sacramento, CA, Sara Crist of Sacramento, CA, and Brian Crist of Sacramento, CA and by his step grandchildren, Austyn Moore of Everett WA, and Kara Moore of Everett, WA. Ralph served his nation as a career military officer and civil servant most of his life and was active and involved from his high school days at York High until his retirement from his second career in 1989. Ralph served 13 months in the U.S. Navy at the end of WWII and 19 years in the U.S. Air Force, attaining the rank of Major as a Command Navigator. Ralph served 13 years in the Strategic Air Command, of which 7 years were spent in B-52's where he flew operation Chrome Dome missions. He had 5500 hours of flying time and served during WWII, the Korean War and Vietnam War. Ralph retired from the Air Force in 1969. Ralph attended numerous universities, receiving his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science from Sacramento State College and his Master's Degree in Education from the University of Idaho. From 1973 until his second retirement in 1989, Ralph was the Education Specialist for Western Washington for the Department of the Navy. A Graveside Service is planned for 12:00 p.m., February 21, 2007 at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt. Scott Blvd. Portland, OR 97266 Phone: (503) 273 5250. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) c/o Hughes-Ransom Cremation & Mortuaries, 220 N Holladay Dr. Seaside, Oregon 97138, (503) 738-6622. Published in print on 2/15/2007. Seattle Times