Ralph Emerson Falkenburg, Jr.

Ralph Emerson Falkenburg Jr. passed away Saturday, March 28, 2020. Born in the summer of 1936, he grew up in the Crescent Hill area of Louisville Kentucky and graduated from Louisville's Male High School in 1955.

He honorably served our country, a member of US Army B-Troop. 1st Recon Squadron. 15th Cavalry 2nd ARMD Tank division 11-30-1959 through 3-1-1962. This is the only time he lived outside the city of Louisville. Thank you for serving our nation. He earned his accolades as an expert sharpshooter, however, he was never a gun enthusiast outside of his time in the military.

He was as eccentric as he was wise. Reading was a sentiment of his, this is only one way he ratified his time. Always a non-traditionalist and never a conformist, dad was a man of his own liberties. An artist, who assimilated his craft into sign painting by hand lettering all of his work. Upon the completion of his signs, he would often give his work his very own unique signature "Vonfalk". He owned two different sign companies, Falkenburg Sign Design and Triad Custom Sign Craft. He was a skilled Pinstriper. His unique style was cosmetically featured on several vehicles in many custom auto shows in the Louisville area throughout the years. His manner of creating signs has long passed into the digital age of computer graphics design, long gone is his unique style of earning his living.

During the 70s', dad had developed a curiosity for CB & Ham radio. An aptitude was born and so was his proficiency. He set up an amateur radio studio in our St. Matthews home. He had a gift of mastery and bringing to life any and all things which piqued his curiosity.

What we will remember most is your peculiar sense of humor that was always patterned with hysteria, your love of music (mostly guitarist and banjo pickers), your fascination with technology and your bizarre way of storytelling. These hobbies are the ones that blended perfectly with his individuality. You left Sherry and me with a fond insight into what made you, uniquely you. The following words we chose that help to define the person you were...Curious, uncommon, exceptional, mysterious, dad, grandfather, great grandfather. We remember our dad and we ask that you do too.

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph E Falkenburg Sr. and Ida Atkins Falkenburg; brother, Gary H. Falkenburg; and granddaughter, Ashley L. Johnson.


Ralph is survived by his loving children, daughter, Cheryl "Sherry" Johnson and son, Ralph E. Falkenburg, III; sister, Vivian Valentine; grandchildren, Sierra Falkenburg, Seth Falkenburg, Cheyenne Jones, Savannah Falkenburg, Blake Jones and Zachary Johnson; three great-grandchildren, Karrah, Riley, Isabella; and a host of relatives and friends.

A graveside ceremony for Mr. Falkenburg will be 1:30 pm on Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at New Albany National Cemetery in New Albany, Indiana.

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R.I.P.
Ralph Emerson Falkenburg Jr. July 15, 1936, to March 28, 2020.