ALBION — Ralph Eugene Deck Sr., 85, of Albion, passed away at 5 p.m. on Friday, January 2, 2015, at his home south of Wolf Lake. Ralph was born on May 25, 1929, to George Garrison and Elmira Mae (Rollins) Deck in Oakwood, Ohio. Later the family moved to Churubusco, where he grew up. To family and friends he came to be known as "Popeye." Ralph joined the Air Force in 1951 and served his country for 17 years, including 10 years in Foreign Service. He was a Staff Sergeant when he was honorably discharged in 1968. Ralph married Vada Ilene Smeltzer on January 5, 1957, in Churubusco, Indiana. After the Air Force, Ralph worked at Weatherhead (Dana), Columbia City. While working at Dana, Ralph joined the Army National Guard where he became a recruiter. He then retired from the National Guard in 1975 and retired from Dana in 1993. Ralph was also a member of the Churubusco VFW. Ralph liked to fish, work in the garden, play cards, watch car races, tinker with his tools, fix things from nothing, and watch his beloved Cubbies play baseball. Ralph also enjoyed telling stories of when he was growing up. One of the family's most favorite stories is that of "Albie Hatcher kicking the bucket". Ralph was a son, brother, cousin, uncle, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, friend and one of the biggest Cubbies fan. He is loved and will be missed dearly. 'Have fun with the boys Dad!' The surviving relatives include his wife of 57 years, Vada Ilene Deck of Albion; two sons, Joe (Jackie) Klase of Goshen and Ralph E. Deck Jr. of Albion; four daughters, Tina M. Deck of Albion, Shari A. (Rocky) Taylor and Linda A. (Randy) Kuhn both of Cromwell, and Wanda S. Hines of Albion; a daughter-in-law, Angie Deck of Garrett; a sister, Joan Ott of Merriam; 18 grandchildren; and 35 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sons, Eugene Lyle Deck and Bruce Leo Deck Sr.; two grandsons, Bruce Leo Deck Jr. and Curt Alan Hasting Jr.; two brothers, Robert Deck and Warren Deck Sr.; and two sisters, Marcile Foote and Joyce Thompson. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Sheets & Childs Funeral Home, with Pastor Dan Carlson, officiating. The family will receive friends at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, or one hour prior to the service. Burial will be in the Wolf Lake Cemetery, Wolf Lake. For those who wish, memorials may be directed to Cancer Services of Northeast Indiana or Heartland Hospice. To leave an online condolence for the family, log on to www.sheetsandchilds.net.