He was born on Jan. 26, 1940 in Galveston, Texas to Arthur and Margory Blackburn Tassie.
Ralph was raised in Canada before moving to Umatilla where he completed school. He served in the United States Navy until his honorable discharge. He returned to Umatilla and married Faye Corum. They had three sons and later divorced. Ralph married Donna Hess Coombes on April 14, 1979 in Reno, Nev. He worked in many different careers over the years including, law enforcement, one of the original six full-time Hermiston Fire Department firefighters, owned and operated Blue Mountain Security for many years, was a truck driver, and owned and operated The Little Key Shop locksmith business in Umatilla for several years until he retired. Ralph was a life member of the VFW Post #4750, Hermiston Eagles Lodge #2909 – past president, Hermiston Elks Lodge #1845, Umatilla Masonic Lodge – Past Master. He enjoyed oil painting, fishing, building model planes, and many different hobbies over the years.
He is survived by his wife, Donna Tassie, Hermiston; sons, Kevin Tassie and wife June, Rick Tassie and wife Dana, and Scott Tassie and wife Kerry, all of Hermiston; stepdaughters, Kathy Miller, Hermiston, Julie Schreck and husband Art, Anaheim, Calif., Cindy Storie, Hermiston, and Kelly Alderson and husband Roger, Cashmere, Wash.; brother, Bristol Tassie, Terrebonne; sisters, Penny Barrows, Newberg, Bev Kight, Clarkston, Wash., and Candyna Brown, Beaverton; 12 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Ralph was preceded in death by his parents.
A celebration of life service with military honors will be held on Wednesday, June 3, 2015 at 3 p.m., at the Hermiston VFW Post, 45 W. Cherry Ave.
Please sign the online guest book at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
