Ralph Glenn Nash
Obituaries
Daily Sentinal page 5B - March 27, 2022
Ralph Glenn
Nash
July 26, 1930 - March 23, 2022
Ralph passed away
peacefully at St. Mary’s
Hospital March 23, 2022,
of respiratory failure.
He was the fourth of
nine children of Glenn
and Irena (Martin) Nash.
He grew up on a small irrigated ranch near Del Norte,
CO, and graduated from the Del Norte High School
in 1948. He attended Adams State College, Alamosa,
CO, farmed with his parents for two years, and served
in the U.S. Air Force as an electronics technician. He
served one year in Denver, two years in Florida, and
nine months in Germany.
Ralph married Janette I. Teeters on June 9, 1957. He
obtained his B.S. degree from Colorado State University,
and taught General Agriculture and Shop at Center, CO
for one year. He obtained his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees
in Soil Science from Colorado State University. He was
a recipient of a National Defense Graduate Fellowship.
International events guided most of Ralph’s life. If
North Korea had not invaded South Korea, Ralph would
not have had to join the military. He was able to see
much of Western Europe and obtained his B.S. degree
on the G.I. Bill. If the Soviets had not launched Sputnik
into space, Ralph would not have received a National
Defense Graduate Fellowship. If Soviet Premier
Khruschev had not banged his shoe at the United
Nations and declared, “We will bury you,” Ralph would
not have obtained a job with the Central Intelligence
Agency. If Rachel Carson had not published “Silent
Spring” which initiated the environmental movement,
Ralph would not have obtained a research position with
the U.S. Department of Agriculture, though the USDA
had already established a laboratory to determine the
environmental fate of pesticides.
Dr. Nash was an Agricultural Analyst for the CIA for
two years, Washington, D.C.; Research Soil Scientist
with U.S. Department of Agriculture at Beltsville, MD,
for 25 years, and Study Director with BioAnalytical
Services, Harristown, IL. Dr. Nash was the author
or coauthor of more than 120 research papers, book
chapters, abstracts of presentations, and senior editor
of one scientific book - many Ralph G. Nash or R. G.
Nash publications can be found on the internet. Dr.
Nash was nationally and internationally known in
the field of Environmental Fate of Pesticides. During
his employment, he was an active member of several
scientific societies - Chemical, Soil, Agronomy, Weed,
and others.
Ralph was the author, senior author, or compiler
of seven family genealogies and history books.
In retirement, he was a 21-year volunteer at the
Paleontology Laboratory, Museum of the West, Grand
Junction, CO, and an active member of a Home Owners
Association.
Ralph served as a member and was active in several
churches. He was an active Elder in three Presbyterian
Churches and member and/or chairman of church
committees. His hobbies included reading history,
especially WWII, religion, and current events,
and researching and publishing family history and
genealogies.
Ralph is survived by Janette, his wife; daughters,
Sherrie Nash, DVM (Robert Willems), Harlowton, MT,
and Cynthia Nash, MD (Gregory Brazell), Whitewater,
KS; son, Bradley Nash (Sharon), Vesuvius, VA; seven
grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; sisters, Myrtle
Henry, of Denver, CO, and Clare Rasmussen, of Grand
Junction, CO; brothers, Darrel Nash, PhD, of Bowie,
MD, and Wayne Nash of Del Norte, CO, and many
nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be at First Presbyterian
Church, 3940 27 1/2 Road, Grand Junction, March 30,
2022, at 4:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First
Presbyterian Church or Museums of Western Colorado.
Graveside services will be held at a later date in Del
Norte, CO
