On Tuesday, December 11, 2007, Ralph Smith Raines, 89, died at the Olivia
White Hospice House, Flagstaff, Arizona. Ralph was born to Sadie Ellen Rich Raines and
Ross McCoy Raines in Weeping Water, Nebraska, on September 27,1918. He was
always an athlete and avid outdoorsman who spent most of his adult life hiking and fly
fishing in the high mountain lakes of Colorado. He always referred to the mountains as
"God's Country," and clearly it was his church and his passion. He was a devoted
husband and father and put his family above all else in his life.
Ralph worked for the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs for 30 years until he
retired in 1983. He and his beloved wife, Hazel, raised their three children in the
Cheyenne Mountain School District. In 1996, to be near their daughter Peggy, they
relocated to the Village of Oak Creek for eight years and then moved to Flagstaff for the
past three and a half years,
He is preceded in death by his loving wife of 65 years, Hazel Raines, who died
July 24th at the Peaks Assisted Living Center. Ralph is survived by his daughter, Dr.
Peggy Raines, of Flagstaff; sons, Richard Raines of Marstens Mills, MA, and Bill Raines
of Denver, CO; and grandson, Billy Raines of Durango, CO.
A memorial will be held to honor and celebrate Ralph's life on Saturday,
December 15th at 10am at his daughter's home, 2866 N. Carefree Circle, Flagstaff, Az.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation in Ralph's memory be made
to Northland Hospice of Flagstaff, P. O. Box 997, Flagstaff, A2.86002