Ralph A. Meiling was born in Vernal, Utah on October 9, 1919 to Curtis and Alice (Reasoner) Meiling. He moved to the Sweet Home area when he was nine with his parents and three sisters. He graduated from Sweet Home High School in 1938. He worked driving log trucks and other vehicles and doing mechanic repairs for a few years with his father, Curtis Meiling. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942 and served the duration of World War II. After he served in the military, he once again resided near Sweet Home.

In August of 1947 he married Louise Tyler, and they moved to Monmouth, where they could attend college in both Monmouth and Corvallis. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial arts from Oregon State College in 1950. He received his Masters in Education degree from Colorado State University in Greeley, Colorado shortly after that. He taught math, industrial arts, and other related subjects for many years at the junior high and high school levels in Sweet Home and Scio.

He had three children; Paul, Sally (Lewin), and Linda (VavRosky). After he retired in 1979, he loved living in his rural home and maintaining the small forest on his property. He enjoyed building things, working outside, working with animals, and reading.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Louise Tyler Meiling; his sister, Helen Bolman of Lebanon; his daughters, Sally Lewin of Keizer and Linda VavRosky of Juliaetta, Idaho; six grandchildren and one great-grandson. He is preceded in death by his parents and his son, Paul.

Donations may be made in his name to the Humane Society Safe Haven facility in Tangent.

His sense of humor, expertise, and love for his family will be deeply missed.

A memorial service will be at 10:30 am, Saturday, May 12th, at Waterloo Chapel. Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.