Memorial services for Ralph Gale Grage, Jr., age 54, of Minatare, NE and formerly of Timber Lake will be at 11:00 AM CT on Saturday, February 19, 2011 at the Kesling Funeral Home Chapel in Mobridge, with a luncheon to following at the American Legion Hall on Main Street in Mobridge. Ralph passed away Wednesday February 2, 2011 at his home in rural Minatare, Nebraska within a couple of months of finding out he had cancer.

Ralph was born to Ralph and Milleta (Cudmore) Grage, Sr, in Pierre, SD on December 31, 1956.

In 1986 he married Nell Heying and then in 1999 he married Kay Thayer in Nebraska. Ralph and Kay later divorced but remained his life long companion until his passing. To this union three step children and two grandchildren were welcomed as his own and he shared a special bond with them.

Ralph spent his early years in Timber Lake, SD and attended Timber Lake School graduating in 1976. Following graduation, Ralph was employed with Commonwealth Lineman Company in the 1970's doing lineman construction in North Dakota, In the 1980's he worked for WEB Water installing waterline pipe along Highway 212.

In 1989 he graduated from Mitchell Area Technical School as a lineman. He continued working in the lineman construction field out of Rapid City, SD working with Hinkle & McCoy Electric, Checker Electric and LE Meyers. After the blizzard 1996-1997 he worked as a lineman throughout North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Colorado. Ralph was a member of (IBEW) International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers.

In the following years, while living in Nebraska, he worked for Cencon LC installing telephone cable and drove truck fro Cementers Concrete, Strong's Construction and Pine Bluff Gravel.

Throughout Ralph's life he enjoyed hunting, fishing and especially enjoyed canoeing on the North Platte River. Ralph loved to garden would grow a garden every year with Kay. He enjoyed cooking and thought of himself as the world's best barbequer! He loved animals, whether it was horses, dogs or cats and usually was surrounded by them.

When neighbors, friends or step-children needed help, he was always there, often helping the less fortunate. He loved and missed his family and friends, which was evident in the phone calls he made to them. Ralph will be sadly missed by those who shared his life.

Grateful for having shared his life was his special companion, Kay Grage, his step-children, Joy Roberson and his granddaughter, Makala of Austin, TX, Michelle Rehder and his grandson, Kian of Warroad, MN, Russell Thayer.of Silverdale, WA , as well as his aunts and cousins. Also surviving is his half brother, Russell (Mary) Smith and their children, Barbara Smith

He was preceded in death by his parents, numerous aunts, uncles and cousins, as well as his father-in-law, Russell Watson whom he shared a special bond with, and nephew Rusty.