Ralph Lewis Wightman Jr., 70, of Elkhart, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Elkhart General Hospital. He was born in Williamsburg, Virginia on December 8, 1955, to the late Ralph Lewis Wightman Sr. and Beatrice (Tabor) Wightman.

Ralph is survived by his loving wife of nearly 45 years, Susan Wightman; son, Andrew Wightman; siblings, Sandy Sowell, Mike (Melanie) Wightman, Dan (Elsje) Wightman, and Gary (Meem) Wightman; sister-in-law, Lorraine Rush; brother-in-law, Michael (Susan) Katko; and a number nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Ralph is preceded in death by his loving aunt and uncle who raised him, George and Flo Wightman and his brother-in-law, William Rush.

Cremation was chosen and took place at Billings Funeral Home, 812 Baldwin St. in Elkhart, IN. A celebration of life in Ralph’s memory will take place at a later date. Memorial donations may be given to Ralph’s Gofundme campaign to help the family alleviate funeral expenses, https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-susan-after-sudden-loss-pt28n.

Ralph was a loving husband and father who lived his life abundantly. At a young age, after the passing of his own parents, he was raised by his aunt and uncle, who brought him up to be a courageous and independent young man. He graduated from The Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree of science in forest industries management, which is where he met the love of his life, Susan Katko. Not long after graduation, they married and after 12 years they were blessed with they’re miracle baby, Andrew. Throughout the years Ralph instilled the love and fondness of nature in Drew.

Ralph worked as a manager for Menards for over 20 years and was an expert in contractor sales. With his knowledge of construction, he could build just about anything with his hands. He built his own dock to fish off of, a fence, a retaining wall, and managed lots of other handy work around the house. Ralph enjoyed the water and was a very skilled sailor. He and Susan spent many wonderful days sailing on Lake Michigan throughout the summer sailing season and well into the fall. It was on Lake Michigan that Ralph taught Susan how to become a good 1st mate. Their last sailing adventure together was last fall on Simonton Lake just north of Elkhart. Ralph also enjoyed skiing with his son, whether it was downhill or cross-country. He was fortunate enough to ski the Swiss Alps and the Canadian Rockies in Banff. He and his son would often cycle together for long bike rides during the summer.

To say Ralph will be missed is a great understatement. He was the rock of his family and made them feel safe, loved, and the center of his life. Ralph leaves behind a legacy and will be forever missed by so many people who were touched by his compassionate and caring heart. We love you Ralph, love always.