Ralph Leon Leedy

Ralph was one four children born to Esther and Darwin Leedy. He had an older brother, Donald M. Leedy and he has two younger sisters, Ruby Reed and Judy Lewis. Ralph was born in his grandmother’s home in Arnett, Oklahoma on July 19, 1935. The Leedy family moved from Arnett, Oklahoma to the Mohave Desert in California in 1939. The family lived in Government Housing in Chula Vista California during World War 2. The Family moved to Imperial Beach, California in 1948.

Ralph Graduated from Mar Vista High School in Imperial Beach. He joined the U.S. Airforce on April 1,1955. Staff Sargent Ralph Leedy was released on February 2, 1959, to attend San Diego City College where he earned an AA Degree in Mathematics. He received an Honorable Discharge from the Air Force in 1963. He met Lynn C. Leedy who lived in Imperial Beach, and they were married on June 23, 1964. They had a daughter (Coco) and a son (Paul), both were born while they lived in San Diego County.

Ralph went to work for the Physics Department at General Atomic and was on loan to the Experimental Engineering Department and was assigned to the Special Nuclear Systems Division as the Thermoelectric Test Branch Manager in charge of life testing the Power Systems components and final assemblies developed by the Direct Conversion Department. He Supervised all Environmental Testing (vibration, shock, humidity, long term performance, acceleration and acoustic). He oversaw the testing the SNAP 15A Generators, Pace Maker Power Units, the Navy Undersea Power Units, Pipeline Power Units and the Transit RTG (Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator) power source for the Navy’s fixed orbit Transit Navigational Satellite, Triad. The System Integrator for the Triad Satellite was TRW Systems with the Satellite being furnished by APL and the RTG furnished by General Atomics with the RTG Launch Operations under the direction of Ralph. The completed Satellite was put in Polar orbit aboard a Scout two stage Rocket out of Vanderburgh AFB in September 1972.

While employed at General Atomic, Ralph authored a Technical Research Paper (“Characterizing the Electrical Performance of Light-Weight Thermoelectric Converters”). The research paper was presented at the 1968 ASTM Meeting on March 4, 1968, at the National Bureau of Standards Facility in Gaithersburg, Maryland.

In January 1978, Ralph (and his Family) moved to Midland Texas to work for the Ortloff Corporation in the oil and gas Engineering and Construction business. Over the years he worked for Enserch Engineers and Constructors, MeriCon International Constructors, S & B Engineers and Constructors, was a Vice President at Ford, Bacon and Davis Engineers and Constructors, worked as a Consultant for Team Associates on a floating Oil and Gas gathering Platform for Chevron and was Vice President and General Manager with Tessenderlo Kerley Services (an Engineering and Construction Company) in Carlsbad, New Mexico. Ralph retired in calendar year 2000 and did consulting work for several years thereafter.

Ralph loved the desert climate, building and riding in dune buggies, riding on/in quads, motorcycles, jet skis, boats and in his RZR. He enjoyed exploring the dunes and finding new trails in the sand dunes and red rock areas. He enjoyed Skeet Shooting with friends and he earned numerous patches and trophies over the past years for his shooting in Carlsbad, New Mexico. In recent years, he has spent some of his time going to the gym, Skeet Shooting, Off Road Riding in a Honda Talon 1000X and customizing his 2016 Dodge Dart.

Ralph and Lynn relocated from New Mexico to Hurricane, Utah in June 2012. He was preceded in death by his Mother, Father, his son Paul Leedy and his brother Don Leedy. He is survived by his wife, Lynn Leedy, Daughter Coco Leedy-Carter and son-in-law Wayne Carter, sister Judi Lewis and Ruby Reed.

There will be a Celebration of Life on Monday, October 25, 2021, 12:00 pm at Spilsbury Mortuary Chapel, 110 S Bluff Street, St. George, Utah.

Family and friends that are unable to attend are invited to view the Celebration of Life by clicking on the link below.

http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/62092

Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury Mortuary, 110 S Bluff Street, St. George, Utah. 435-673-2454. Family and friends are invited to sign his online guest book at www.spilsburymortuary.com .