Obituary: Ralph Kahn, 85
Ralph Kahn, 85 years old, of Atlanta (son of Philip and Bertha Kahn of Charleston, S.C.) has passed on to the great ballfield in the sky.
Originally from St. Phillip’s Street in Charleston, “Little Ralphie” or “Kubla,” as he was known in Charleston, served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, reaching the rank of sergeant temporarily, until his boxing skills found a target of higher rank. He then attended the University of Georgia, where he met his beloved wife, Rhalda, while coaching sorority basketball at UGA. He often stated that his life was greatly improved from that day forward. He spent the next 45 years dedicated to working with his father-in-law at Rubin Brothers, where he retired as president in 1996. He enjoyed being an integral part of raising his four sons — and many of their friends. He will always be loved for his sense of humor, his taste in barbecue, coaching sports, and his encouragement and concern for others. Ralph spent the last 60 years bringing all he had to life and was never concerned with taking things from life. He has always been a vibrant part of his Atlanta community.
He leaves behind his loving wife of 61 years, Rhalda; four sons and their wives, Michael and Susan, Richard and Kelly, Philip and Fredricka, and Brian and Alicia; grandchildren Leah and Brian Smith and Rachel, David, Elise, Erin, Jared, Jenna, Dana and Lindsay Kahn; in-laws Larry and Edie Cohen and Leslie and Nermine Rubin; Charleston cousins; his lifelong friend Sam Appel; numerous nieces and nephews; and many friends and all the kids he coached in the Atlanta community.
He was predeceased by his brother, Julius Rosenblatt, and his sister, Evelyn Kirshstein. Ralph had the good fortune to have lived a long life surrounded by his wife and sons and many friends, in addition to the great fortune to have had one of the most caring and compassionate caretakers, Marcia Reid, over these past three years.
Sign the online guestbook at www.edressler.com. Graveside services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 25, at Arlington Memorial Park in Sandy Springs with Rabbi Neil Sandler officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Jewish Family & Career Services or Weinstein Hospice. Arrangements by Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care, Atlanta, 770-451-4999.
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