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Memorial—Ralph E. Erb

Professor emeritus Ralph E. Erb died November 5, 1983 in Olympia, Washington after a brief illness. Erb had moved to Washington in 1978 following retirement from the Department of Animal Sciences.

Ralph Erb was born May 28, 1917 in Jerseyville, Illinois. As a farm youth, he was active in rural youth activities, particularly 4-H and Future Farmers of America. After graduation from high school in 1935, he enrolled at the University of Illinois where he excelled academically as evidenced by his selection to Bronze Tablet and election to membership in Alpha Zeta and Gamma Sigma Delta. As an undergraduate, he was a member of both the Dairy and Livestock Judging Teams.

In 1940, Erb began his graduate work at Purdue University as a graduate assistant in dairy husbandry. He completed the M.S. degree in 1942 and immediately began work toward the Ph.D. However, his graduate work was interrupted by military service. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the US Naval Reserve in May 1943 and entered active service in September 1943. Erb spent 18 months in the Pacific Theater of Operations and participated in the Palau and Philippine campaigns as a communications officer with the command of support aircraft. Following his discharge in January 1946, he immediately resumed his Ph.D. studies at Purdue University. Ralph was awarded the Ph.D. with F.N. Andrews as his major professor in 1947 and accepted a position as assistant professor of dairy husbandry at Washington State University.