Ralph Duke Stickley

Ralph Duke Stickley, 88, of Strasburg, Virginia died December. 23, 2022, on his farm in Sandy Hook.

Ralph was born on November 4, 1934, in Strasburg to Boyd Blair and Ruth Adele Rickard Stickley. He graduated from Strasburg High School in 1953 and attended V.P.I in Blacksburg, now known as Virginia Tech. He joined the Air Force in 1956 and served until 1960 as Airman 2nd Class of the Strategic Air Command 812th Air Police Squadron. He received the “Airman Achievement Award” for outstanding Airman in June 1957.

Ralph married Gloria Ann Smith on June 18, 1960. They were married 61 years until her passing on Sept. 2, 2021. He is survived by his two sons, Mark Stickley, and his wife Elizabeth (Beth) of Winchester, VA, and Ralph C. Stickley and his wife Margarita of San Diego, CA. His grandchildren are Alyssa, Chance (Jen), Jarod, Ryan, Ashanti, and Garrett Stickley. His sister is Doris Baker of Strasburg. His brother Ellsworth Stickley predeceased him.

Ralph was a loan officer at First National Bank (now First Bank) in Strasburg. He left banking in the late 1970’s to farm full time with his father on their farm in Sandy Hook. He served as Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 57 in Strasburg, was a former board member of the Shenandoah County Farm Bureau, served on the Board of Zoning Appeals and was past president and long-time member of the Maur-Brook-Olive Ruritan Club. He was an active member and trustee of St. Paul Lutheran Church in Strasburg.

Pallbearers will be his nephews and nieces, Keith and Larry Baker, Kevin and Michael Smith, Leslie Doman, and Kathy Shelton along with Carroll Estep and Roger Hockman.

A funeral service for Mr. Stickley will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Friday, December 30, 2022, at St. Paul Lutheran Church with Rev. William H. Hall II and Rev. Sonya Williams-Giersch officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview Cemetery with military honors conducted by Shenandoah American Legion Post No. 77, Strasburg, VA. After the services, family and friends are invited to gather at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church for fellowship and a covered dish meal.  

The family will receive friends on Thursday evening from 6-8pm at Stover Funeral Home. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Paul Lutheran Church (193 W. Washington St., Strasburg, VA 22657) or the Maur-Brook-Olive Ruritan Club (c/o Phil Fauber, PO Box 162, Toms Brook, VA 22660).

You may sign the guestbook and submit condolences to the family online at www.stoverfuneralhome.com. 

Stover Funeral Home and Crematory, Strasburg, VA is serving the family of Ralph D. Stickley. 

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