Ralph Metzke, 46.
Son, brother, uncle, friend, Christian, optimist, outdoorsman, gentle giant. Born Dec. 14, 1964, in St. Catharines, Ont. Died April 21, 2011, in Hamilton of heart failure, aged 46.
Ralph Metzke's heart was weakening during the fall of 2010. He was pragmatic and laughed about it, saying he had medication and lived one day at a time. He kept working and doing hobbies: competitive shooting, fishing and flying model airplanes. In earlier years, he was an avid hunter and snowmobiler and took ultralight flying lessons.
Ralph exemplified the "cup is half full" way of thinking. His cup was more than filled by his unshakeable faith in God. In school his friends challenged him but didn't change his beliefs; instead he took them to evangelical events. He prayed anywhere and any time he needed to consult with God. He didn't care what others thought of it.
Ralph put up with many physical challenges. He had a pituitary tumour discovered in adolescence and several close calls as a result. He had unusual stature, scoliosis and a lot of pain, but exhibited a sunny disposition and unassuming manner.
An engaging storyteller, Ralph described his adventures and inventions at length. A couple of days before he died, he dreamed he was light and fast and could run and jump in the air like a child. He said it was fantastic.
One of two children of Peter and Rosemarie Metzke, Ralph went to school in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., where he lived. Classmates remember him as a fluent German speaker, a trumpet player and the smiley, happy-go-lucky kid in electrical shop class who once wired a circuit that filled the class with thick smoke and doubtless melted some equipment.
Another day Ralph skipped school and, feeling chatty, got on his citizens' band radio at home. By chance, he struck up a long conversation on the CB with the teacher whose class he was skipping. With an amazed class listening in, he opened a pop can beside the microphone. He said he was having a beer.
Ralph earned a diploma in mechanical engineering technology from Niagara College as a mature student. He had huge hands with great dexterity and an innate mechanical feel. Many times he helped troubleshoot the quirks of friends' motorcycles and cars. For work, he once designed and built from scratch an industrial cleaning robot that crawled through ventilation ducts. Another time he worked on a high-speed factory pizza-making machine.
During a cottage expedition a few winters ago, we crossed the ice on the Severn River. Ralph charged ahead on his ATV, trying to plow through a snow bank, but there was a rock ledge hidden underneath. His ATV stopped dead with a crash and threw him forward onto the handlebars. Ralph must have been in pain but he laughed off the accident and got around the obstacle. Then he went ice fishing.
By William Tremain, Ralph's friend, and Peter and Rosemarie Metzke, Ralph's parents.