Ralph William Roe

Ralph William Roe, age 82, passed away March 6, 2014 at the Jefferson County Health Center, Fairfield, Iowa.

Visitation for family and friends will be 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm, Sunday, March 9, 2014 at the Behner Funeral Home.

Funeral services will be 11:00 am, Monday, March 10, 2014 at First Baptist Church with Pastor Charles Comfort officiating. Burial will be at Evergreen Cemetery with Military rites.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family or the First Baptist Church. Cards and memorials can be sent to: 708 Liberty Drive, Fairfield, Iowa 52556

Ralph was born December 5, 1931 to Thomas A. and Edna (Dvorsky) Roe in Iowa City. He married Billie Joy Filkins June 29, 1952 and had 3 children. She passed away March 30, 2008. March 22, 1976 he married the love of his life, Evelyn "JoDee" Ekstrom, in Columbia, Missouri. They were married 35 years. She passed away August 25, 2011.

Ralph graduated from Iowa City High School and had 1 year at the University of Iowa in Iowa City. He joined the Marine Corps in 1951 and served during the Korean War. After his discharge in 1954 he lived in California for 12 years where he was in the furniture business. He moved to Ottumwa, the home of his mother and father, and started his own car business until his retirement in May 1996. He had Datsun Subaru dealership for 3 years and 1 car lot in Ottumwa before moving to Fairfield in 1976. He opened a very successful car dealership in Fairfield known as "Ralph's Auto". It was the oldest used car lot in history of Fairfield with 40 years of service. Ralph's Auto closed when he retired in 1996.

While in Fairfield he built several brick homes on Glasgow Road and the first earth home in Fairfield.

He always loved the outdoors. Fishing was always #1. If you couldn't find him, you could bet he was fishing.

Ralph is survived by his 3 children, Connie (Frank) Alcantar of Hillsboro, Oregon, Thomas (Pat) Roe of Cedar Rapids and Michael (Marsha) Roe of Fairfield; fiancAC.e, Sharon Carrier of Fairfield; 4 step children, Mark (Paula) Ekstrom, Terri Jo (Larry) Erickson and Craig Ekstrom all of Cedar Rapids, Doug (Kathy) Ekstrom of Oil City, Pennsylvania; 4 grandchildren, Shannon White, Steven White, David Roe and Randy Roe; 7 Great grandchildren; 6 siblings, Lawrence Roe of Cedar Rapids, James Roe of Ohio, Delores Wright, Ruth Newgard, Lorna Jerred and Mary Check of Cedar Rapids.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, 1 brother: Raymond Roe, and 1 grandson: Michael Roe Jr.