dad was in the army, and served in europe. and ralph was in the navy during world war ii, from 1944 to 1946. ralph then graduated from mount union college in alliance, io, ere he met s wife, mary. and later obined his law degree fm llm ki scoloflan caon rah hd psi f ucio he served his community as a school teacher. he was a principal and ran for the ohio board of education. as a former teacher myself, i know the ti you spend with students helps shape the way you view the world. ralph was no different and he ought those experiences with him here to washington, d.c., and put his passion to work on the appropriations committee. prior to being elected to congress, ralph got histart in politics as a member of the ohio house of representatives and later the ohio senate. in 1972, he ran for congress and heon, begiing a long and impressivcongressional tenure. ralph served for 18 terms, 36 years and he was a leader on the appropriatios committee. in that role, he helped shape the coury, but he never forgot where he came from. back in 1998, ralph and his wife mary were instrumental in the establishment of the national first ladies' library in canton and both remained very inv