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Ralph John Sadlon
Passed away on Jun 18, 2025
Ralph John Sadlon
1942
 - 
2025
The story of
Ralph John Sadlon, 82, passed away on June 18, 2025, in Chandler, AZ. Ralph was born in Racine, WI, on September 8, 1942, to Mildred and Stephen Sadlon. Ralph attended Winslow Elementary School, Franklin Junior High School, and Washington Park High School. Ralph loved sports and, of course, he was a Green Bay Packer fan forever! He analyzed and commented on every play of every game! Ralph played basketball at Park on a team that won a state championship. He continued to be interested in professional and college basketball games. He also won a city tennis doubles tournament championship, and he liked to watch professional tennis and golf. Ralph played saxophone and was president of the Racine Elks Band during his high school years. He marched in many Racine 4th of July parades, and he had great memories of traveling and seeing many other states with the band as they competed across the country and winning many awards. Ralph maintained close friendships with several Park High buddies. There were a few of them who amazingly stayed friends all the way from Winslow to their retirement years. He was always a very funny guy with jokes, stories, and wisecracks. He had a quick wit that made everyone like him immediately! People enjoyed conversations with him very much. Ralph especially loved the loud Slovak family get-togethers with lots of laughs and teasing as well as expressing opinions when everyone talked at the same time and knew their own opinions were the right ones! Ralph was extremely proud of his Slovak heritage, and he loved talking about old times. Ralph had a long career in sales and marketing, and he worked in management with several well-known companies starting with Western Publishing Company in Racine. He worked in Ohio, California, and then in Arizona until he retired. Ralph married his wife, Jan, on November 11, 1989, at Capistrano Beach, CA., at Pines Park overlooking the Pacific ocean. Ralph and Jan lived in Dana Point and Laguna Niguel, CA, and they were very happy there as they attended art and music festivals and spent time outdoors at various beaches and parks. They traveled to Hawaii and Italy and always appreciated good wine! They were very happy living in a retirement community in Chandler, AZ. They did not miss snow and cold winters in the Midwest when AZ sunshine and warm weather meant they could have morning coffee outside on their patio. They loved seeing palms trees, flowering cactus, and hummingbirds in their yard. Ralph loved listening to music and jazz was his favorite. He continually read spy novels which were his favorite books. Ralph routinely walked every morning, and he did his own landscaping work outside as he was very proud of his home. Ralph was a devoted husband, and he faithfully went shopping everywhere with Jan. He always put Jan's well being first in every way. Ralph and Jan's love for each other is a bond that will last forever. The Arizona years were shared with Ralph's sister and her husband, Nancy and Tom Henkel. Their houses were built on the same block as neighbors until Nancy and Tom moved but they were only minutes away. Ralph's older brother, Jim, and his wife, Arline, from Rockford, ILL, also had a place in Arizona. So, as senior citizens, the 6 of them saw each other more often, and had more fun and laughter than ever before in their lives. There is no doubt that those times are truly treasured, and never to be forgotten. Ralph is survived by his wife, Jan, and by his two children: Scott Sadlon and Tracy Bradley. There are 4 grandchildren: Carly Sadlon, Liam Sadlon, Julia Bradley, and Emily Bradley. Jan's children and grandchildren also survive him: Phillip Combest, Paul Combest (sons Carson and Jake), and Julie Farthing (siblings Tessa and Spencer). Ralph is also survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Nancy and Tom Henkel in Union Grove, WI, as well as nephew, Zachary Henkel, great-nephew Nathan, and niece, Courtney Henkel, and great-nephews, Merritt, Raylan, and Blaze. (Courtney and her Uncle Ralph had a special connection that was amazing and heartfelt. They shared lots of laughs and love when Courtney visited Arizona and California over the years.) Also surviving are Ralph's sister-in-law, Arline Sadlon in Rockford, IL, and nephew Gregg Sadlon -great nephew, Evan, and great-niece, Tia, and nephew Ky Sadlon - great nephews Colin and Riley. All of Ralph's family will miss him very much, and the best memories we have of Ralph are those when we told jokes and stories that made us laugh until we cried, and the love we felt as we reminisced about all the good times we shared. Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Millie and Steve Sadlon, and his grandparents, Elizabeth and Paul Sadlon, as well as aunts, uncles and cousins. His older brother, Jim Sadlon, recently passed away on March 4th, 2025. It is an unexpected and very sad sequence that these brothers left us within such a short time. The family has been comforted by the knowledge that Ralph is now surrounded for eternity with all those dear and much loved family members, especially his mother, whom he fondly called "Milka." Rest in peace, R.J. We will see you again...
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