Ralph Carroll

Ralph Carroll Ivy, D.D.S passed away November 18, 2010, at age 90 in his West El Paso home. He practiced dentistry in El Paso for over 45 years, and raised his family here with his wife, Frances Myers Ivy, who preceded him in death in 2006 after 61 years of marriage. He is survived by his eight children, fourteen grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Ralph was born to James and Elizabeth Lilly Ivy in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas June 30, 1920, the youngest of three children. His father, a lumber mill operator, died in an automobile crash a year later. He began working more than thirty hours a week at age ten and kept working until he was 75 years old. Ralph graduated at the top of his high school class and attended Arkansas A&M, where he worked as a waiter at a sorority house and joined the Arkansas National Guard to make ends meet. He was named “Most Popular Boy” in both his senior year of high school and his freshman year in college. He was called into the Army and trained at Fort Bliss before seeing combat in the Aleutian Islands. He was selected for Officer’s Candidate School and became a lieutenant. Ralph returned to El Paso after the war and met his future wife when he was best man and she was maid of honor at their friends’ wedding. They married in El Paso, and he resumed his college studies at Texas College of Mines. He was admitted to St. Louis (Missouri) University School of Dentistry and upon graduation the family came back to El Paso. Family vacations resembled something some only see in movies often requiring two cars to get the kids to California, Louisiana, or some other favorite spot. He built his dental practice in the Mills Building downtown and later was one of the first to move into the medical center on Arizona Street. He loved talking with his patients, he considered them friends, and he retold their stories to anyone who would listen. He served as President and various other offices of the El Paso Dental Society. He was honored and became a Fellow in the American College of Dentists. He created programs to provide free mouth guards to high school football players in El Paso, and created and funded academic awards at St. Joseph’s while providing free dental care to the clergy in El Paso’s Catholic community. He put his children through college (in some cases several colleges). They went on to become educators, physicians, attorneys, social workers, therapists, restaurateurs, and volunteers in their communities. Ralph was an early member of Coronado Country Club after taking up the game after age 40. In 40 years, he proudly had two holes-in-one to his credit. After he finally had to stop playing golf in his late 80s, he was honored by Coronado Country Club by being named an honorary member. His eight surviving children include Frank Thomas Ivy, Patricia Elizabeth May (married to Wayne), Diane Cecilia May (Jerry), Mary Carol Ivy (Dan), Cynthia Therese Limbird (Randy), Ann Christine Ivy, Ralph Gerard Ivy (Valerie) and Catherine Loretto Jackosky (Paul). Two other children died as infants: Ralph Carroll Jr. and Rose Bernadette. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren who knew him simply as “Pops.” His grandchildren are Charlene Ivy Bozeman (Robert); Megan and Samantha Ivy; Matthew (Laura), Brian and Benjamin (Sarah) May; Carolyn May Wulf (Jason), Anthony (Lydia) and Andrew May; William Summers; Zachary and Elyse Fulton; Nicholaus and Hannah Jackosky. His great-grandchildren are Alexandra and Dylan Bozeman; Keller and Lilah May; Hayden and Mason May; Tipton and Ivy May; Lilly and Carter Wulf. Visitation is at 6:30 p.m. and Rosary at 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 22, at Sunset Funeral Home, 480 N. Resler. Mass will be celebrated at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 23, at St. Patrick Cathedral, followed by interment at Fort Bliss National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of El Paso.