Ralph Mason North Iii

Ralph Mason North III, of Waukesha, died on Wednesday, December 17, 2014 at Seasons Hospice at the age of 84. He was born in Montclair, New Jersey on August 15, 1930 the son of Ralph M. and Margaret (nee McManus) North Jr. He was a 1952 graduate of Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ where he earned a mechanical engineering degree and was a member of the Chi Psi Fraternity. From 1953 until 1955 he proudly served his country in the United States Coast Guard. Ralph worked in the real estate business followed by many years with American Appraisal Associates in Milwaukee. Following retirement he continued working doing appraisal consulting. He was a senior member of the American Society of Appraisers (ASA) and a nationally published author and lecturer on appraisal theory and techniques. Ralph was a past member and president of the Waukesha Civic Theatre, past member and president of the Waukesha City Council, past member of The Caring Place and member of the Waukesha 1834 Club. He was a local theater actor and played Norman Thayer in “On Golden Pond” many times throughout the area, produced the stage-show “The Most Dangerous Women” and wrote the play “First Conductor of Wisconsin’s Underground Railway” performing as Lyman Goodnow. Ralph was an active volunteer with the Waukesha Civic Theatre and the Waukesha Women’s Center. His most recent passion was founder of Greater Milwaukee El Sistema in Waukesha. He was an avid collector of antiques, coins and cast iron toys.

He will be sadly missed by his children, Ralph M. (Donna Storley) North IV of Madison, Meg (David) Schnabl of Waukesha and Lauren Montclair of Lomira, his grandchildren, Melissa (Andy) Evans of Waukesha, Michael (Rachel) Zilli of Madison, Joseph Schnabl of Waukesha and Allyson Schnabl of Wauwatosa and great-grandchildren, Chloe and Collin Evans, Marilyn Schnabl and Lucca and Ella Zilli. He is further survived by his partner, Donna Bonhag of Waukesha, his sister Adele (Dick) Hedderick of Pennsylvania, sister-in-law Margaret (Kenny) Jones of Florida, brothers-in-law John (Mary) Allhusen of New York and Dick (Lynn) Allhusen of Pennsylvania, along with many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his wife Helen A. North on June 20, 1995 and his parents.

Visitation will be held on Monday, December 22, 2014 from 4:00PM until 7:00PM at the Randle-Dable-Brisk Funeral Home, 1110 S. Grand Ave., Waukesha. Visitation continues on Tuesday, December 23, 2014 at the funeral home from 10:00AM until the time of the 11:00AM funeral service. Private interment will be held at Prairie Home Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Ralph’s honor to Greater Milwaukee El Sistema c/o White House of Music 2101 N. Springdale Rd. Waukesha, WI 53186. Randle-Dable-Brisk Funeral Home, Crematory and Preplanning Services is honored to serve the family. For further information, please call the funeral home at 262-547-4035 or please visit our website at www.waukeshafunerals.com for directions or to leave the family an online tribute message.