Ralph Woelke

Ralph D. Woelke was born March 2, 1957, to Raymond and Patricia Woelke as the seventh child of twelve. He was raised in Brawley and graduated from Brawley Union High School in 1975. As a middle child, Ralph learned to adapt, get along, and learn by observing. Ralph grew up worshipping God in the Catholic church and continued in his faith, receiving communion in his residence in Palm Desert to the end.
After high school graduation, he developed his many skills in multiple roles. Ralph was a skilled welder and was a partner in a successful welding business for several years. He spent a few years creating fishing lures at Al Kalin’s fishing lure business, he had a successful stint at Unocal Geothermal, worked various construction and supervisory roles, and he had a wonderful career with the State of California in the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Serving multiple prisons and the headquarters in Sacramento, Ralph supported the program that trained inmates in trades, and those tradesmen took care of needs at the prison facilities. Because he was willing to “commute” to Sacramento, he helped implement a very successful program that eventually saw him rewarded with a Construction Supervisor III status and the supervisory role over Region 1 construction. Thanks to their training, when inmates were released, they possessed the skills they needed to succeed in the construction trades.
Ralph married Janet Bellenfant in 1992 and they engaged in a new adventure. We aren’t sure where or how to credit his confidence, perhaps it came from his large family and pitching in to make things work, but he had an easy stride, a way of sharing his confidence with others, an acceptance of others that rarely took issue with any other person. Ralphs surely communicated to Janet and the rest of us that he accepted, admired and enjoyed the fiery red-headed spirit of his “ginger” wife.
Ralph was a loving father to his children Alex, Brett and Audrey, and grandfather to their children Xander, William, and Madilyn Woelke and to his bonus grandchildren Gillian McIntire and Sylas Valdez. The family reports he also highly valued his granddogs. The qualities his children remember most are being calm, stable, a ready cheerleader and supporter, whether it was sports, 4H, school, or animal projects, he encouraged his beloved children to try and succeed with new endeavors. He took on coaching tball and softball but stayed on much longer than his own children’s tenure, with about 12 years in the role.
Audrey reports that no matter what interest she put forward, her father’s response was “Yes you can,” then he would get busy finding out how to support the new interest. The family report that Ralph never voiced negative opinions about others. He only ever had positive things to say about other people and their activities or initiatives. Brett and Audrey agree that, if their father had a negative opinion of someone, they never knew it. He would not voice those feelings. They also report that a cornerstone of Ralph’s personality was holding others in high regard, always choosing to treat others with respect and dignity.
Ralph loved hunting, fishing, grilling, making apple pies, and later in his kitchen career, even making lemon meringue pies. I’m told he also made the best Cadillac margaritas in the world.
Daughter Audrey is a teacher of agricultural sciences at Citrus Hill High School in Perris. As a person who benefitted from the opportunities provided by Future Farmers of America during high school, I love this next detail. Audrey’s colleagues chose to honor Ralph. At their recent awards banquet, they conferred on Ralph Woelke the Honorary Chapter Farmer Degree citing his kindness, support, and continued championing of youth programs and encouragement to their program.
Ralph is predeceased by his parents Raymond and Patricia Woelke, brothers Raymond (AKA Larry), Edward, Paul, and John (AKA Jack) Woelke.
Ralph is survived by his wife Janet, his children Alex Woelke (wife Lim), Brett Woelke (wife Jessica), Audrey Mittermeier (husband Dwight), siblings Tony Woelke, Bill Woelke, Bernice (Pat) Woelke (Lu), Mary Hogan (Robert), Martha Desilets (Noel), Frank Woelke (Kelly), Hugh Woelke (Christine), in laws Teri Woelke, Terrie Sullivan, Tim Bellenfant, Carol Gregory (husband Lloyd), grandchildren: Xander, William and Madilyn Woelke, Gillian McIntire, Sylas Valdez, many nieces and nephews, and many great nieces and nephews that all loved their Papa-Uncle Ralph.
Celebration of Life for Ralph Woelke will be held on Saturday May 30th beginning at 10am at Frye Chapel and Mortuary in Brawley, CA