Ralph Edwin Waltz

Ralph Edwin Waltz, 95, of Carmel, Indiana, passed away on Thursday, October 29, 2015. He was born in Tipton County, Indiana, on January 9, 1920, to the late William and Lena Estel (Heisser) Waltz. He was baptized on February 22, 1920 at the Emanuel Lutheran Church in Tipton, Indiana. At the age of five, he moved with his parents, sister Evie and brother Leroy to a farm northeast of Arcadia, Indiana. He was confirmed on December 2, 1934 at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Arcadia.
He attended twelve years of school in Arcadia, Indiana, and graduated from Arcadia High School in 1938. He continued his schooling that fall at Indiana University, Bloomington. At IU he was active at University Lutheran Church and served as a representative of the students on the church council. He was elected President of Gamma Delta, a Lutheran students' organization. He worked in the IU Memorial Union cafeteria and at Caubles Coffee Shop. While a student at IU he became a big IU basketball fan. In spring of 1940, he came down with scarlet fever and was in the infirmary with some of the IU players. Branch McCracken, the IU coach, was concerned that his players would get scarlet fever from him. Thankfully they didn't, but Ralph had to listen to the championship game on a radio while in quarantine. The start of a lifelong fan.
Ralph's schooling was interrupted by World War II. He enlisted in the Army Air Corp and was sworn in on April 1, 1942. Following basic training he was assigned to attend the Air Force Technical School to be a cryptographer. His first assignment was to the Army Airways Communication System headquartered at Hickam Field in Hawaii. Shortly thereafter he was sent to Canton Island, an important airbase for the United States. During his stay at Canton Island, Ralph was promoted to Corporal and then to Staff Sergeant. A special assignment took him to Pearl Harbor and on to Kwajalein Island in the Marshall Islands group. On shore they found complete destruction, but were sent there to set up a new message center. He was always happy to receive letters from home - V-mail - and to be able to go to church with his fellow soldiers. Early in 1945 he returned to Hickham Field and spent eight months as a supervisor of the message center. He was honorably discharged and returned to civilian life on November 5, 1945, happy and proud to have served his country at such an important time in history.
After the war, he returned to Bloomington to continue his schooling, and earned a B.S. degree in Business Administration. After graduating on June 14, 1947, he returned to the American National Bank in Noblesville, Indiana, where he had worked summers in the bookkeeping department and running errands. He started as a teller and moved into consumer and eventually commercial lending.
This young banker was missing something in his life. On a vacation west with a friend, he commented how he wished he had a girlfriend like his friend did. "Eleanor, you mean?" said his friend. "She's too much like a sister to be my girlfriend." So after returning from vacation, Ralph called her. Ralph and Eleanor Mae Tritch were married on August 6, 1950, at St. Peters Lutheran Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. They started a family with the birth of Janet, and later Sandy completed the family.
Ralph graduated from the Graduate School of Banking, University of Wisconsin, in 1958. He was elected President of the American National Bank in 1967. The motto of ANB was "Helping Hamilton County Grow." And that they certainly did. He saw the addition of computers, the expansion of bank branches in Hamilton County, and the introduction of ATM machines, credit cards, and direct deposit. Ralph retired from the bank in January 1985. He served on the Board of Directors for ANB, and later Ameritrust, from 1967-1990.
After retirement, Ralph and Eleanor enjoyed traveling, especially to visit their granddaughters in Arizona where they wintered. Ralph enjoyed photography, gardening, playing euchre, IU Basketball, and the Cincinnati Reds. When asked about his favorite food, he would probably tell you PIE.
Ralph was a longtime member of Christ Lutheran Church, Noblesville, where he served on the church council, building committee, and many other areas. An active volunteer in the Noblesville community, he served in various capacities for the Hamilton County Red Cross, the Noblesville Chamber of Commerce, Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County, the Riverview Hospital Memorial Foundation, and the Hamilton County Society for the Disabled. He was an active member of the Noblesville Kiwanis Club, and attended Kiwanis meetings in Noblesville and Carmel until his death.
Ralph married Connie Hackman Waltz on October 13, 2002. Together they continued his love for traveling, and wintered in California and Florida. Having many friends in common, they enjoyed eating out with friends. They attended Carmel Lutheran Church together and made many new friends there as well.
Survivors include his wife, Connie Hackman Waltz of Carmel, Indiana; daughters Janet Waltz of Tempe, Arizona, and Sandra (Jim) Schaller of Indianapolis, Indiana; granddaughters Abigail (Ryan) Aspen of Tempe, Arizona, Allison (Margo Norberg) Waltz-Hill of Boston, Massachusetts, and Kimberly Schaller of Nashville, Tennessee; and great-grandsons Luke and Jude Aspen. Ralph was preceded in death by his wife of fifty years, Eleanor Mae Tritch Waltz, sister Edna Evelyn Taylor, and brother Leroy Waltz.
Visitation with the family will be held on Friday, November 6 from 4-7:00 p.m. at Randall & Roberts Funeral Home, 1150 Logan Street, Noblesville, Indiana. A service celebrating his life will be held on Saturday, November 7 at 11:00 a.m. at Christ Lutheran Church, 10055 East 186th Street, Noblesville, Indiana, with calling at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at Crownland Cemetery in Noblesville at the convenience of the family.
Memorial contributions may be made to Meals on Wheels of Hamilton County, the Hamilton County Society for the Disabled, or Christ Lutheran Church of Noblesville.