Ralph Tryka

Ralph E. Tryka, 73, of Rio Hondo, TX passed away Saturday, July 25 at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen, Texas after a short battle with leukemia.

He was born in Butler, PA to Felix and Elsie Brown Tryka.  He graduated from Butler H.S.  Ralph worked at Armco Steel Corp until he retired in 1996.  He was a jack-of-all-trades and could fix or repair anything.  He was a fan of the Steelers, Penguins and NASCAR.  Marienville, PA was his summer home.

Ralph was an outdoorsman.  He enjoyed traveling, hunting and fishing.  He loved bow hunting for elk every fall in Colorado.  Ralph was a dedicated senior softball player in several leagues in the Rio Grande Valley and in Oil City, PA.  He played several years in the Huntsman World Senior Games.

He is survived by wife Barbara, daughter Chris Tryka, sister Ruth (Dave) Geurnsey, brother William (Wilma) Tryka and canine companions, Julie, Amy, Trucker and Jake.  He was preceded in death by sister Francis Hutchison.

Memorial donations can be made to the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.

Ralph loved to joke and tease.  He was honest, thoughtful and fair, a wonderful husband, father and friend to all.