Introduction
I was born in Palo Alto, California on May 18, 1916, educated in Palo Alto public schools and
graduated from Palo Alto High School in 1933. Attended Stanford University and Cornell University in Electrical
Engineering and then graduated Cum Laude from New York University with a BS in Aerodynamics in 1942.
Was drafted to work in Aircraft design, so worked as Aerodynamicist at Douglas Aircraft in Santa Monica until 1953,
when I moved to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada, California and worked in supersonic wind tunnels,
managed construction of spacecraft and office facilities and retired in 1982 as Manager of the Facilities Design
and Construction Office.
Married Marjory Runyon (now deceased) in 1942, raised two children, Richard and
John, enjoyed leisure with a travel
trailer and later a home at Lake Arrowhead, California. We lived in La Canada, California from 1955-2002 and recently moved to the
Carmel Valley Manor in Northern California. I
have two grandchildren Chandra and Andrew plus
a great granddaughter Rebekah.
Having come from a Masonic family, I joined the La Canada Masonic Lodge in 1960, worked through the offices,
and became Master in 1967. I joined the Scottish Rite and York Rite in order to learn more about Masonic teachings,
and joined Al Malaikah Shrine in Los Angeles to complete my knowledge. I have been and am still active in the
Masonic High Twelve and am a past President of that organization. In 1994 I was honored by being elected to
the Royal Order of Scotland, based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
My hobbies have been private flying, music, high fidelity recording, photography and since 1983 Macintosh computers.
Ralph and wife Marjory