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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;RAYMOND GONZALES, post: 2938901, member: 87130&quot;]<img src="https://cache.legacy.net/legacy/images/cobrands/azcentral/photos/0008488327-02-1_20151212.jpg?v=0x000000004cc7c3db" class="bbCodeImage wysiwygImage" alt="" unselectable="on" /></p><p>Obituary</p><p><font size="6"><b>Ralph James Weiger</b></font></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><b>Weiger, Ralph James Ralph James Weiger passed away on December 1, 2015 in Sonoma, CA at the age of 90. He will be remembered as a cherished and very much loved father and grandfather, husband, philanthropist and businessman. He was born in Hammond, Indiana on January 21, 1925 to his parents, Oscar and Mabel Weiger. He was truly a self-made man, one of the &quot;Greatest Generation&quot;, as he made the most of his life which started with very simple roots. A proud highlight at the age of 89 was receiving an Honorary Doctorate of Engineering from <a href="http://www.legacy.com/legacies/purdue-university/?personid=176869778&amp;affiliateID=45" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.legacy.com/legacies/purdue-university/?personid=176869778&amp;affiliateID=45" rel="nofollow">Purdue University</a> with his family in attendance .Ralph served his country by joining the <a href="http://www.legacy.com/legacies/navy/?personid=176869778&amp;affiliateID=45" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.legacy.com/legacies/navy/?personid=176869778&amp;affiliateID=45" rel="nofollow">U.S. Navy</a> Air Corp, serving as a pilot in <a href="http://www.legacy.com/legacies/ww2/?personid=176869778&amp;affiliateID=45" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.legacy.com/legacies/ww2/?personid=176869778&amp;affiliateID=45" rel="nofollow">WWII</a>. He studied electrical engineering at Purdue University and played varsity football and basketball. He became an industry leader, not only for his knowledge of electronics, but also for his expertise in marketing, new product sales and mergers and acquisitions. His company was acquired by IC Industries of Chicago and Ralph became CEO/President of three companies, including Midas International Corporation. After a very successful career growing Midas, Ralph was asked to be the President of the International Franchise Association. He was awarded its Hall of Fame Award in 2002 by President George Bush, selected from 1,200 member companies. He also was a successful consultant in this field and served as President and Vice Chairman for Jiffy Lube and a Director for Big O Tires. Ralph was honored in national publications, including a 1957 Business Week article and a 1977 Time magazine article called the &quot;Midas Touch.&quot; In the late 1970&#039;s and early 1980&#039;s, he spent three years in Kuwait and became President, COO of Yusef A. Alghanim and Sons, a billion dollar trading company. They needed his expertise to expand their <a href="http://www.legacy.com/legacies/general-motors/?personid=176869778&amp;affiliateID=45" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.legacy.com/legacies/general-motors/?personid=176869778&amp;affiliateID=45" rel="nofollow">General Motors</a> dealership. After a very successful business career, Ralph retired to Prescott, Arizona where he lived for 22 years serving and giving back to his community with his very strong philanthropic dedication. Ralph was a &quot;volunteer&quot; at Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale where he led the development of their first hospitality house that started their Arizona Transplant House. He was the Founder, President for three terms and a Director. As a result of this work he received a Community Quarterback Award from the Cardinals football organization. Ralph was also very proud of his work with other organizations, especially the Yavapai County Big Brothers Big Sisters. He was the first Recipient of the &quot;Beat the Drums for Kids&quot; Award. He served as President of the Yavapai County Foundation for three terms. Among his many honors, were the 2006 Man of the Year award presented by the Prescott Area leadership organization, Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County Philanthropist of the Year in 2001; and in 2006, he received the Arizona Children&#039;s Association Circle of Champions Award for his work on behalf of youth. He served on many other boards including the Elks Opera House and the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County. Ralph was also recognized for his work by Purdue University where in addition to his honorary doctorate; he received a Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Award and was recognized as a Purdue Alumni Association Life member on the Purdue President&#039;s Council. He was also honored in the Hall of Fame of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. Ralph&#039;s most wonderful contribution in life was the role model and unconditional love that he gave to his children and grand children. He inspired his children with a sense of duty and commitment, as well as a spirit of adventure. His philosophy of life was to live life to the fullest, keep smiling, try hard to be the best that you can be and to give back to your community. Ralph also emphasized family time and having fun. Happy memories were shared skiing at Vail, swimming at the NJ shore, and camping in Yellowstone Park. He was a devoted Christian and a member of the American Lutheran Church. Ralph was married to Eleanor White, the mother of his children Lucy, Barbara and Ralph James Weiger, Jr. (Jimmy) for 22 years. He had a second marriage for over thirty years to Katherine Weiger who died in 2009. Ralph is survived by his loving and devoted children, their spouses and his grand children: Lucy Weiger and her husband Robert Crane; Barbara Lepke-Sims and her husband Michael Sims; Jimmy Weiger and his wife Pamela Weiger and their children Cassidy, Jasmine, and Kahlil Weiger; his grandchildren, Stephen James Lepke and Thomas John Lepke and his wife Geena Lepke; and step son William Cranstoun and his family. His former wife and mother of his children, Eleanor Marshall-White also survives him. Due to a cardiac episode in June, he moved to Sonoma, CA and lived his last five months of his life with his daughter Lucy and son in law, Bob. He will be interned in a private ceremony at the Sonoma Veterans Memorial Park Cemetery. Ralph died of a cardiac arrest in the arms of his daughter and son in law.</b></p><p><b>His family welcomes all of his friends to a Celebration of his Outstanding Life on Sunday, December 20 at 2pm at the American Lutheran Church in Prescott, Arizona to be followed by a reception at the Prescott Resort where all will have an opportunit</b>[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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