Ronald William Ralph, a cave archaeologist and former Texas Cave Managment Association director who led the Budget Committee for many years, died on April 16 at an Austin hospital following a long illness. He was 82.
Ron, former president of the Texas Archeological Society, was scheduled to receive a prestigious award on April 24 for a career spanning nearly 60 years. Members of his family attended the Texas Historical Commission ceremony and accepted the award for him. The Commission had nominated Ron for the Curtis D. Tunnell Lifetime Achievement Award in Archeology.
Ron served on boards of both the Texas Cave Management Association and Texas Speleological Survey, where he was former president. Ron led the TCMA Budget Committee along with managing Lost Oasis, Ezell’s, and other cave preserves. He also presented programs to the Texas Legislature and the public on TCMA and the benefits of protecting and preserving caves and cave fauna.
Additionally, Ron was active in projects and conventions of the Texas Speleological Association. A Fellow of the National Speleological Society (7616FE), he co-chaired the 1994 NSS Convention in Brackettville, Texas.
Ron began studying caves and archeology in California in 1963. For 13 years, Ron served as an archeological consultant on projects throughout the southwestern United States and Mexico before joining the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in 1976, where he worked for 21 years. Ron taught nearly 30 archeological and speleological training courses and workshops, presented more than 30 papers at conferences, and published more than 150 research reports. Additionally, he ran numerous TAS annual summer field schools which offer activities and learning opportunities for all ages and experience levels.
Upon retirement from TPWD, Ron worked as an independent contractor and conducted more than 250 pedestrian surveys in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico.
Among Ron’s projects were Hueco Tanks State Park and Historic Site in far West Texas; the Bullhead Bayou Camp Cemetery in Sugar Land, Texas, where dozens of black convicts died during forced labor in sugarcane fields; McKinney Falls State Park near Austin; and many other sites.
With Ron as principal investigator, the Bullhead site grew to be the largest, previously unknown convict cemetery in the state. He received the Historical Commission’s Award of Merit for leadership of the project and for his contributions to the final report.
At Hueco Tanks, Ron plotted rock art localities and archeological features, coordinated the documentation of pictographs, and directed excavations of middens and pithouses.
Besides authoring and co-authoring scientific papers, Ron mentored dozens of archeologists over the years who went on to have significant careers with state and federal agencies, universities, and in private consulting practices.
A Celebration of Life will be held on May 18. A full memorial to Ron, including photos, will be included in The Hall of Texas and Mexico Cavers for TSA.
We offer condolences to Ron’s family and loved ones, and we are all diminished by his passing.
Ron Ralph’s legacy
