Ralph Outlaw Walton Jr., 80, of Hamilton, Georgia, died Sunday peacefully at the West Georgia Medical Center from complications stemming from kidney failure. Memorial services will be 4:00pm on Good Friday, April 22 at the Hamilton Baptist Church. The services will be officiated by Rev. Mabry Collins and Dr. Todd Sullens. A visitation with the family will follow the service at their home located at 1100 Fortune Hole Road according to Cox Funeral Home, Hamilton.
The occupation declared on his tax return says it all: "farmer". But, Ralph Walton was no ordinary farmer. He cultivated many things in his 80 years.
Walton was exposed early on to the benefits of planning and discipline from his father, himself a Depression-era cotton farmer. This training continued at the Marion Military Institute in Alabama where he graduated from high school in 1947 and the first two years of college in 1949. After earning a degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University in 1951, Walton joined the United States Army Signal Corps. Later, he was recruited into the top secret "Manhattan Project", which resulted in the development of the atomic bomb.
After completing his military service, Walton was recruited by Westinghouse Electric Corporation where he had a distinguished career of nearly 15 years. He turned down many promotions to remain close to family in Georgia, which also allowed him to launch several agriculture-based businesses, usually with partners, including Greenblade Turf Grass with Billy Sumrell (operating today as Hamilton Sod with partner John Phillips) and Kraftwood with Ben Smith and later Joe Manning.
Only months from earning a lifetime pension, Walton elected to try farming of a different kind: snow-farming. Joining brother-in-law, Howard "Bo" Callaway, the two purchased the ski area in Crested Butte, Colorado from seven Kansas banks in 1970. During the Callaway-Walton tenure spanning over three decades, the company transformed a sleepy coal mining town into the Last Great Colorado Ski Town, or as the 1986 advertising campaign irreverently proclaimed: "like Aspen used to be and Vail never was". Walton served as the onsite partner and over the years became a ski industry icon as two-time chairman of the state trade organization, pioneer of the direct-jet airline program used across ski country and spearhead of many other entrepreneurial innovations.
Despite his many successes, Walton remained a humble farmer seeking to help others and always to do the right thing. He was instrumental in sustaining several churches, including the Union Congregational Church in Crested Butte, Colorado and the Hamilton Baptist Church in Hamilton, Georgia. Through a private foundation, he and his wife Martha financed the education of several needy students and various other ministerial outreach programs, which will survive him.
Survivors include Martha G. Walton of Hamilton; Ralph III "Scout", Martina, Veronica and Brittain Walton of Kalispell, Montana (son); and Martha P. "Chic" Walton of Atlanta, Georgia (daughter) together with several special grand-pups! Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Hamilton Baptist Church Outreach Fund.
The occupation declared on his tax return says it all: "farmer". But, Ralph Walton was no ordinary farmer. He cultivated many things in his 80 years.
Walton was exposed early on to the benefits of planning and discipline from his father, himself a Depression-era cotton farmer. This training continued at the Marion Military Institute in Alabama where he graduated from high school in 1947 and the first two years of college in 1949. After earning a degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University in 1951, Walton joined the United States Army Signal Corps. Later, he was recruited into the top secret "Manhattan Project", which resulted in the development of the atomic bomb.
After completing his military service, Walton was recruited by Westinghouse Electric Corporation where he had a distinguished career of nearly 15 years. He turned down many promotions to remain close to family in Georgia, which also allowed him to launch several agriculture-based businesses, usually with partners, including Greenblade Turf Grass with Billy Sumrell (operating today as Hamilton Sod with partner John Phillips) and Kraftwood with Ben Smith and later Joe Manning.
Only months from earning a lifetime pension, Walton elected to try farming of a different kind: snow-farming. Joining brother-in-law, Howard "Bo" Callaway, the two purchased the ski area in Crested Butte, Colorado from seven Kansas banks in 1970. During the Callaway-Walton tenure spanning over three decades, the company transformed a sleepy coal mining town into the Last Great Colorado Ski Town, or as the 1986 advertising campaign irreverently proclaimed: "like Aspen used to be and Vail never was". Walton served as the onsite partner and over the years became a ski industry icon as two-time chairman of the state trade organization, pioneer of the direct-jet airline program used across ski country and spearhead of many other entrepreneurial innovations.
Despite his many successes, Walton remained a humble farmer seeking to help others and always to do the right thing. He was instrumental in sustaining several churches, including the Union Congregational Church in Crested Butte, Colorado and the Hamilton Baptist Church in Hamilton, Georgia. Through a private foundation, he and his wife Martha financed the education of several needy students and various other ministerial outreach programs, which will survive him.
Survivors include Martha G. Walton of Hamilton; Ralph III "Scout", Martina, Veronica and Brittain Walton of Kalispell, Montana (son); and Martha P. "Chic" Walton of Atlanta, Georgia (daughter) together with several special grand-pups! Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Hamilton Baptist Church Outreach Fund.
Ralph Outlaw Walton Jr., 80, of Hamilton, Georgia, died Sunday peacefully at the West Georgia Medical Center from complications stemming from kidney failure. Memorial services will be 4:00pm on Good Friday, April 22 at the Hamilton Baptist Church. The services will be officiated by Rev. Mabry Collins and Dr. Todd Sullens. A visitation with the family will follow the service at their home located at 1100 Fortune Hole Road according to Cox Funeral Home, Hamilton.
The occupation declared on his tax return says it all: "farmer". But, Ralph Walton was no ordinary farmer. He cultivated many things in his 80 years.
Walton was exposed early on to the benefits of planning and discipline from his father, himself a Depression-era cotton farmer. This training continued at the Marion Military Institute in Alabama where he graduated from high school in 1947 and the first two years of college in 1949. After earning a degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University in 1951, Walton joined the United States Army Signal Corps. Later, he was recruited into the top secret "Manhattan Project", which resulted in the development of the atomic bomb.
After completing his military service, Walton was recruited by Westinghouse Electric Corporation where he had a distinguished career of nearly 15 years. He turned down many promotions to remain close to family in Georgia, which also allowed him to launch several agriculture-based businesses, usually with partners, including Greenblade Turf Grass with Billy Sumrell (operating today as Hamilton Sod with partner John Phillips) and Kraftwood with Ben Smith and later Joe Manning.
Only months from earning a lifetime pension, Walton elected to try farming of a different kind: snow-farming. Joining brother-in-law, Howard "Bo" Callaway, the two purchased the ski area in Crested Butte, Colorado from seven Kansas banks in 1970. During the Callaway-Walton tenure spanning over three decades, the company transformed a sleepy coal mining town into the Last Great Colorado Ski Town, or as the 1986 advertising campaign irreverently proclaimed: "like Aspen used to be and Vail never was". Walton served as the onsite partner and over the years became a ski industry icon as two-time chairman of the state trade organization, pioneer of the direct-jet airline program used across ski country and spearhead of many other entrepreneurial innovations.
Despite his many successes, Walton remained a humble farmer seeking to help others and always to do the right thing. He was instrumental in sustaining several churches, including the Union Congregational Church in Crested Butte, Colorado and the Hamilton Baptist Church in Hamilton, Georgia. Through a private foundation, he and his wife Martha financed the education of several needy students and various other ministerial outreach programs, which will survive him.
Survivors include Martha G. Walton of Hamilton; Ralph III "Scout", Martina, Veronica and Brittain Walton of Kalispell, Montana (son); and Martha P. "Chic" Walton of Atlanta, Georgia (daughter) together with several special grand-pups! Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Hamilton Baptist Church Outreach Fund.
The occupation declared on his tax return says it all: "farmer". But, Ralph Walton was no ordinary farmer. He cultivated many things in his 80 years.
Walton was exposed early on to the benefits of planning and discipline from his father, himself a Depression-era cotton farmer. This training continued at the Marion Military Institute in Alabama where he graduated from high school in 1947 and the first two years of college in 1949. After earning a degree in electrical engineering from Auburn University in 1951, Walton joined the United States Army Signal Corps. Later, he was recruited into the top secret "Manhattan Project", which resulted in the development of the atomic bomb.
After completing his military service, Walton was recruited by Westinghouse Electric Corporation where he had a distinguished career of nearly 15 years. He turned down many promotions to remain close to family in Georgia, which also allowed him to launch several agriculture-based businesses, usually with partners, including Greenblade Turf Grass with Billy Sumrell (operating today as Hamilton Sod with partner John Phillips) and Kraftwood with Ben Smith and later Joe Manning.
Only months from earning a lifetime pension, Walton elected to try farming of a different kind: snow-farming. Joining brother-in-law, Howard "Bo" Callaway, the two purchased the ski area in Crested Butte, Colorado from seven Kansas banks in 1970. During the Callaway-Walton tenure spanning over three decades, the company transformed a sleepy coal mining town into the Last Great Colorado Ski Town, or as the 1986 advertising campaign irreverently proclaimed: "like Aspen used to be and Vail never was". Walton served as the onsite partner and over the years became a ski industry icon as two-time chairman of the state trade organization, pioneer of the direct-jet airline program used across ski country and spearhead of many other entrepreneurial innovations.
Despite his many successes, Walton remained a humble farmer seeking to help others and always to do the right thing. He was instrumental in sustaining several churches, including the Union Congregational Church in Crested Butte, Colorado and the Hamilton Baptist Church in Hamilton, Georgia. Through a private foundation, he and his wife Martha financed the education of several needy students and various other ministerial outreach programs, which will survive him.
Survivors include Martha G. Walton of Hamilton; Ralph III "Scout", Martina, Veronica and Brittain Walton of Kalispell, Montana (son); and Martha P. "Chic" Walton of Atlanta, Georgia (daughter) together with several special grand-pups! Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Hamilton Baptist Church Outreach Fund.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
