Obituary of Ralph J. Post

Post, Ralph J.

Age 97, of Hopkins. Born in St Paul, MN on November 30, 1924. Passed away November 1, 2022, Hopkins, MN with family at his side. Married for 73 years to his soul mate, Mary.

Preceded in death by his parents Erick and Jarda Post, siblings Bob, Ruth, Roy and son in law Emil Maki.

Survived by his wife, Mary, children, Patty Maki, Paula (Gary) Chambers, JoAnne (Frank Schuna), Greg (Sherla) Post, Gary (Shari) Post, Mary Beth (Dan) Scheller, Kris Post (Edwin Funk), Carol (Jeremy) Rose, 20 grandchildren, and six great grandchildren.

Ralph served in the Army Air Force during WWII. He was fascinated by planes. He took flying lessons and completed his round trip solo flight from Crystal to Eden Prairie. He was truly a designer. He graduated from the Minneapolis College of Art & Design in Industrial Design, had a 35-year career at Honeywell, and ran his own commercial silk screen business.

Family was a priority with the annual family reunion vacations that keep on growing in numbers today. Friends and families grew up together camping and at resorts.There was never enough fishing or golf or games in this time togehter.

He loved carpentry, building four houses during his lifetime, the book racks for the pews at St Gabriel Church in Hopkins, joined the wood carver’s guild at the Minnetonka Senior Center, and continued to craft wooden games, characters and his famous spoons. He joined a Model Plane Club and crafted remote operated model planes and wooden boats. His creative nature extended into food with his holiday rosettes, ginger cookies, and fish fry corn fritters.

Ralph was a devoted volunteer for the Glen Lake Sanitorium, ICA, and for more than 20 years at Methodist Hospital and Methodist Park Nicollet Hospice. He treasured his director and hospice mentor, Libby Swanson and receiving the MN Hospice Volunteer of the year award in 2018 at age 93.

Thank you to all the very special people who helped Ralph on his final journey. The VA Hospital and many supportive resources, Chapel View: Chelsea and Alex, Home Health INC: Kara, Ashley, Alicia & Latrina, Park Nicollet Hospice: Katie, Emily, & Audrey, caregiver Kathryn, Father John & the IHM Community, and his Citigables community especially Deacon Francis Tangney of St. Gabriel Church, Hopkins.

Memorials preferred to the Park Nicollet Hospice

6500 Excelsior Blvd, St. Louis Park, MN 554236 https://www.healthpartners.com/care/specialty/hospice/donate-form/ or donor’s choice.

A Funeral Service will be held Thursday, December 1st, 2022 at Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) Church, 13505 Excelsior Blvd. Minnetonka MN. Visitation 10 am, Funeral Mass 11 am, with lunch to follow. The service will be live streamed at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church - Minnetonka, MN (ihm-cc.org)

Interment will be at Fort Snelling with family at a later date.