January 23, 1930 ~ May 17, 2017
Former resident and Fallon native, Ralph M. Jesch, Sr. passed away suddenly on May 17, 2017 in Yelm Washington.
Ralph was born in Fallon on January 23, 1930 to Nicholas G. Jesch and Bertha Dietz Jesch. He was the youngest of the family and is survived by his sister, Loretta Jesch Poe of Reno and many nieces and nephews.
His father was a barber in the Ideal Barber Shop on Maine Street for many years. Nick was a native of Rumania and came to Lahontan Valley in 1910 to run a pool hall and barber shop at the Lahontan Village, while the dam was under construction. Ralph’s mother came to Fallon in 1908 with her family and father Edmund Dietz. They bought an established alfalfa ranch below the dam which they owned until the mid-1930’s, which is now the Mori Meat Co. Ralph attended local schools, graduated from Churchill County High School and joined the U. S. Navy in 1948. His service extended through 1952 into the Korean Conflict aboard the carriers USS Oriskany and the USS Coral Sea.
With his wife, Patricia Edwards, he ran a nursery and florist in Fallon for thirteen years and worked at the naval base part time. In 1967 the family moved to Rio Vista, CA, where he worked on amphibious landing craft. Ralph also went to Vietnam to work as an air conditioning specialist. The marriage failed in 1971.
He spent many years at work for the city of Berkeley CA and married Adrienne Cochran. He became stepfather to her three children, Steve, Brian and Robin.
He loved to work on cars and always had a vehicle around in the back yard.
In addition to his sister, Loretta, Ralph is survived by Marty (Ralph Jr.) of Greenville S. Carolina; Richard of Berkeley CA; Donna of Yelm Washington; Andrea of Galt CA; Randall of Napa,CA; Lisa of Rio Vista, CA; Conrad of Nevada City, CA; and Ellen of Eureka Montana. He also has twenty-one grandchildren and many great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at a later date.
