Ralph Bader, age 86 of Woodville, retired St. Croix County Sheriff died peacefully Sunday July 22, 2018 at the Parkview Community Campus in Woodville. Ralph was born on October 3, 1931 in the Village of Boardman, Wisconsin; the son of Alfred and Ruth (Evenson) Bader. He was raised in Boardman where he attended grade school prior to graduating from New Richmond High School in the class of 1949. He drove truck for Curley Hook until he enlisted in the Armed Forces where he proudly served in the United States Army. He served during the Korean War prior to his honorable discharge as a sergeant. Ralph knew the true meaning of patriotism as he had a strong commitment to his fellow man and community. On April 14th, 1956, he was united in marriage to the love of his life Darlene Harer at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in New Richmond. In 1959, he joined the New Richmond Police Department to begin a long and prosperous career in law enforcement. In 1964, he joined the St. Croix County Highway Patrol, which would later merge with the Sheriff Department. Upon the departments merging, Ralph would become investigator in 1983 and later sheriff in 1986. He would serve four terms as Sheriff as one of departments most tenured and respected officials prior to his retirement in 1995. Ralph also served on the Woodville Fire Department and Ambulance. He has been a member of Zion Lutheran Church for many years where he served on the church council and taught Sunday school. Furthermore, he was a proud Gideon, member of the Wisconsin Sheriff Association, American Legion, and VFW.

Ralph will remain in the hearts of his wife Darlene; son Ron (Margaret) Bader; grandchildren Andrew (Abbey) Bader, Matthew Bader, Kaitlinn (Josh) Holcombe, Chad (Sarah) Terpstra, Melisa (Eddie) Beese, Nicole (Matthew) Sina; nine great grandchildren Alexis Beese, Robert Beese, Hunter Beese, Chloe Terpstra, Blake Terpstra, Jackson Bader, Bradley Holcombe, Joseph Holcombe, Kristine Sina, Makayla Sina; brother Eldon (Shirley) Bader, Warren (Shirley) Bader; and sister-in-law Ilene Bader. Ralph is preceded in death by his beloved daughter Delores, great grandson Ethan Bibeau; brothers Harold (Josephine) Bader and Richard Bader.

Funeral service for Ralph Bader will be 11AM Friday, July 27th at Zion Lutheran Church in Woodville. Visitation will be on Thursday July 26th from 4pm to 7pm also at Zion Lutheran Church as well as one hour prior to the service at church Friday morning. Burial with full military honors provided by the Woodville American Legion will be in the Sunset Cemetery in Woodville. Casketbearers will be Matthew Bader, Andrew Bader, Josh Holcombe, Chad Terpstra, Eddie Beese, and Matthew Sina. Memorials generally preferred to the discretion of the family. Funeral services entrusted to the O’Connell Family Funeral Home of Baldwin.