2010 photo of Ralph Walroth at 94, working at the Glendale Central Library. He was the oldest city employee! (Raul Roa/News-Press)
http://the818nowarchives.wordpress.com/2010/02/02/94-year-old-man-oldest-glendale-employee/
EMAIL TODAY FROM NANCY EKE
Our beloved father, Ralph Walroth passed away in the early morning hours of July 22, at his home in Glendale following a courageous battle with cancer, he was 98. He was born January 17, 1916 in Omaha, Nebraska.
The Walroth's moved to Burbank, California in 1923. Ralph attended Burbank High School and graduated in 1933. He then enrolled at Glendale Junior College, earning a degree in Business Administration. He was also very active in the YMCA, Junior Chamber of Commerce and especially involved in the First Presbyterian Church of Burbank - where he was a member for 86 years.
In 1937 he signed on with Lockheed Aircraft and worked there for the next 41 years! After retiring from Lockheed he began working part time at the main Glendale Library and has worked there for 31 years until his passing, and was the oldest employee of the City of Glendale.
Ralph had four children with his first wife Virginia. From 1960-1965 he raised his four children as a single Dad until he married Eileen in 1965. When all the children were grown and out of the house Ralph and Eileen moved to Chevy Chase Canyon in Glendale where they lived their lives to the fullest! Golfing, traveling and time with family filled their calendars. After Eileen's passing in 2010, Ralph moved to Scholl Canyon Estates, in Glendale.
Ralph is survived by his children Betty Jo Walroth Mac Caughtry, class of 1966; Terry Walroth, class of 1967; Nancy Walroth Eke, class of 1969; and Rick Walroth, class of 1973. He is also survived by his 15 Grandchildren and 14 Great-Grandchildren.
There will be a Celebration of Ralph's Life on August 28, 2014 at 1:00 PM at the First Presbyterian Church of Burbank, 521 East Olive Ave, Burbank Ca. 91501
In lieu of flowers, Ralph requested donations to his church or a charity of your choosing.
2010 ARTICLE
http://www.loveangeles.com/love_angeles/2010/02/ralph-walroth.html
Ralph Walroth, 94: Living Loving Life
Source: Daily News- Glendale's oldest city employee kneels down early Monday morning to pick up a few dozen books that have been deposited in the book drop at the Central Library over the weekend.
"The art and reference books are the toughest," 94-year-old Ralph Walroth says. "Some of them weigh 10 pounds. My goodness. Not as bad as the phone books, though."
The weight doesn't seem to bother him. In 10 minutes, Ralph has tossed the heaviest books up on a book truck like they're dime novels.
Just because he turned 94 last week doesn't mean the staff is going to cut Ralph any slack, says his supervisor, Henry Dagbashyan, who wasn't even born when Ralph started the job in 1983.
"He works hard and is always on time," Dagbashyan said, watching Ralph stack books back on the shelves. "Every employee here admires him. To be doing what he's doing at his age, well, he's one pretty amazing guy."
He's slowing down a bit, though, Ralph admits. He puts in about 20 hours a month these days, down from his high of 20 hours a week after retiring from Lockheed, where he worked for 41 years, in 1978.
"After you paint the house, plant the garden, and fix whatever needs fixing, what are you supposed to do - play golf all day?" he asks.
No, not even a golfer - which he is - could fill all those empty hours and get the mental stimulation he needed.
So after taking four years off to finish the lengthy "honey do" list his wife, Eileen, handed him, Ralph walked over to the Chevy Chase library branch near his home and got a job driving the van that delivers books to other branch libraries.
"When they said they needed someone at the main library, I came down here," he says, putting a stack of telephone books back on the shelves.
"And I've been here ever since, with no plans to leave."
For his birthday party last week, Glendale Assistant City Manager Bob McFall made waffles for Ralph and the library staff. It's something he does for many city special occasions and milestones.
"It's a little something, a kind of reward for a job well done," McFall says.
Whether you're a department head running the city or the guy putting returned books back on library shelves.
The oldest city employee in town.
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