Ralph John Boone was born May 2, 1927 in Mitchell, SD to Ralph E. and Grace Louise (Foltz) Boone. Ralph attended Mitchell High School. He entered the US Navy in 1945 and was honorably discharged in 1947. After returning from the service he married Adeline Brech on September 20, 1948 in Mitchell. They divorced in 1970. Ralph began working with the Milwaukee Railroad in February of 1949. Ralph continued to work for the railroad. On September 30, 1978 he married Betty (Lockwood) Carling in Mitchell. After retirement with 32 years of service on the railroad, he attended Mitchell Technical School in the Architectural Drafting and Building Construction program and graduated in May of 1983. Ralph was a member of First Lutheran Church, American Legion and VFW. He enjoyed woodworking, racing pigeons, raising sheep and dancing. Most important was all the fun times with family and friends. Grateful for sharing his life are his wife Betty of Mitchell; son Randall Boone of Bixby, OK; daughter Robin (Jeff) Munger of Mt. Vernon, SD; two step-sons Troy (Margaret) Carling of Black Hawk, SD and Douglas (Marisa) Carling of Rapid City, SD; granddaughter Angela (Greg) Edwards of Tulsa, OK; three step-grandchildren Kyle Nickeson, Jordyn and Mckenzie Carling; great grandson Ethan Edwards; mother-in-law Irene Lockwood of Mitchell, SD; brother Donald (Ruth) Boone of Eagle, NE and brother-in-law Richard (Cheryl) Lockwood of Sallisaw, OK; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law Ernest Lockwood; two half-brothers Kenneth Harrod, Harry Harrod, half-sister Cora Eileen (Harrod) Green, and daughter-in-law Linda Boone.