Obituary
Ralph Ingersoll Goodwin, Jr., born August 6, 1929, passed away in Ormond Beach, Florida on February 10, 2023. He was the son of Ann Field Goodwin and Ralph I. Goodwin, Sr. and grew up Cincinnati, Ohio, with his brother Wally. Each summer Ralph and his family went to Wyoming to vacation with his aunt, who along with her husband, owned the TAT Ranch. In l947, the Goodwin family moved from Ohio to Banner, Wyoming, and lived on the Tat Ranch, soon renamed the Rafter Y. Ralph graduated from Pomfret School, Pomfret, Ct, class of l947, the University of Colorado, B.S., class of l954, and the University of Colorado and received a Master of Science, class of l958.
Ralph proudly served his country in the Korean War (1950-1952) with the United States Army, Wyoming 300th Armored Field Artillery Battalion, saw combat duty, and was awarded a Bronze Star with valor, and was honorably discharged in 1952. He was a proud American who believed in flying the flag every day.
After graduating from college, Ralph worked for 12 years in the newspaper advertising business in Longmont and Boulder, Colorado. In 1967, he returned to the Rafter Y and began his days as a cattle rancher. The Rafter Y Cattle Company was under Ralph’s steady love for 27 years. In l979, along with his brother, Wally and sister-in-law, Nancy, the three of them rekindled the old dude (guest) business and operated the Rafter Y guest business.
On May 31, 1986, Ralph married the love of his life, Hilary Hartman Schaffer in Memphis, Tn., and became the very proud father of William (Billy) Schaffer. Ralph loved being a devoted husband and father, gaining a daughter-in-law, Becky, and eventually two beautiful granddaughters, Bella and Avery. Shortly after their marriage, Hilary and Ralph took over the Rafter Y guest operation, and together they had much fun, laughter and memories to carry a lifetime. They wintered in Ormond Beach, Florida, and returned to Wyoming each spring and began the hard work again. 1995 brought another change for Ralph and Hilary; they retired from the Rafter Y, built a fabulous home known as the TAT, and enjoyed playing golf, spending time at their mountain cabin in the Big Horn Mountains, traveling, taking trips with their family and enjoying their many friends. He was always of great humor and loved playing practical jokes on his many friends.
Ralph is survived by his loving wife, Hilary, his son, Billy, and daughter-in-law, Becky, his grandchildren Isabella (Bella) and Avery Schaffer, his sister-in-law, Nancy Goodwin (Hailey, Id), his sister-in-law, Deede Cady, (Charlottesville, Va.), his nephews, Putter Goodwin (Hailey, Id), Reamy Goodwin (Hailey, Id), Robert Cady (Becky), (Alexandria, Va.), and his niece, Debbie Gerbich (Jeff),(The Plaines, Va.), and 6 great nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his parents, his brother, Wally, his brother-in-law, Don Cady, and his great niece, Annie Goodwin.
A celebration of his life will be at a later date.
Always a very generous man, Ralph established the Hilary & Ralph Family Foundation, through which many military, national and local charities have been blessed. He believed in helping others, and thus in his honor, in lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to Wounded Warrior Project, For the Troops, Tunnels to Towers or the charity of your choice. Ralph loved his family, friends and country and asks that you likewise do the same.