- Ralph Dyer Pine passed from this life on Thursday, the 30th of April 2009, and into the waiting arms of his beloved wife Maurine Lively Pine who preceded him in death on the 21st of November 2008. Husband, father, grandfather, printer by trade, fisherman, photographer, gardener, sports enthusiast, memorabilia collector are many of the roles he played and the activities he most enjoyed throughout his lifetime. Born on the 18th of May 1920, in Alma, Arkansas to Alexander George Pine and Fannie Reed Dyer he was the 3rd of 4 children. He grew up alongside an older brother named Houston, a sister Alleyne Mitchell, whom have preceded him in death and his dearly missed and beloved younger brother Edgar who proudly served during WWII and died for his country while in France where he is buried in the town of St. Avold in the Lorriane Military Cemetery. Ralph's mother was a homemaker and his father a railroad worker who worked long hours and endured many hardships traveling to rural areas to find work while Fannie stayed at home and raised the children. Ralph's dear Grandfather and Grandmother lived with the family and played an intricate role in raising the children. Ralph was a true survivor and fighter evident in his final days and hours here on Earth as well as during his childhood battle with polio. The family moved to Galveston, Texas in his early youth where he endured a successful operation to walk without crutches. It was there he attended and graduated from Ball High School. Shortly after in 1941 is when he met his sweetheart Maurine Lively on a double date and they later married on the 23rd of December 1942. Ralph worked with the Army Corp of Engineers during the war, and then moved on to work with Addressograph Multigraph in Galveston where he grew to learn and love the trade of printing. Impressive enough to learn and operate these massive machines, he and Maurine later moved to Houston where he ventured out and formed his own business, Ralph Pine Printing and Letter Service, in the Bank of the Southwest Building in downtown Houston. It operated for nearly 20 years in the same location. One of his many passions was fishing West Bay in Galveston for trout and red fish. He religiously spent hours in his garage dedicated to organizing his fishing reels and rods preparing for his next outing. His love of working in his garden was evident by the massive tomato plants, caladiums and sweet pea flowers. His garden was truly a showcase that all admired. He made over 25 trips to Indianapolis, attending the Indy 500 race each May, and compiled a memorabilia collection of his travels there. Ralph's hobby of photography and film making has captured a lifetime of fond memories and occasions, truly the families treasured gifts that will be passed down through generations to come. Although challenged by polio as a young boy, a favorite pastime was bicycling and exercising in the neighborhood of Glenbrook Valley in Southeast Houston. This is where he and Maurine raised their 4 children, Sheridan Ann, Melinda Maurine, Muriel Alleyne and Melissa Ruth. Rarely a weekday passed that he wasn't dressed and prepared to help Maurine by taking his girls to school every morning before work. Time was taken to help with their homework and on weekends he would help in the kitchen and give Maurine a small break from her duties as Mother. A fond memory during the summer of the mid 60's was the day the Beatles visited Houston. That very same morning a client gave him 5 tickets to the concert and Ralph took off work to take his girls. They will always remember this special time in history. He and Maurine together endured the ups and downs of raising 4 girls. All the while in their hearts they truly held the best intentions, desires, hopes and dreams for their girls. Known as Daddy to his daughters, as Papa to his grandchildren and as an avid story teller and cut-up to his closest friends and family.He is survived by daughter Sheridan Williams, her husband John Eddie Williams, daughter Kristen Clark Nix and son-in-law Lee Stover Nix, daughter Lauren Leigh Clark and the daughters paternal father Bill Clark, daughter Melinda Smith, and her husband Ronnie Smith, and their daughters Alana Smith and April Smith, daughter Muriel Boulware and husband John Boulware, daughter Melissa Zarikian Collins and her husband Danny Collins, children Andrea Zarikian and Charlie Zarikian and their paternal father Carlos Zarikian, and caregivers Virginia Hall and Nellie Dyer and caring, dedicated housekeeper Juana Hernandez. He is also survived by his wife Maurine's loving family members, his brother -in -law Charles Lively, and sister -in- laws Geneva Pickle and Margaret Teel. Ralph was a devout Christian and attended the Church of Christ. We will miss him for all the days of our lives.
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1920 - 2009 (88 years)
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