Ralph Keith Stokes, age 86, of Frontenac, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 29, 2011 at the Keystone Communities in Faribault, from complications of congestive heart failure.

Ralph Keith Stokes, the youngest son of Ralph K. and Lillian (Hillock) Stokes, was born on February 18, 1925 in Waterloo, Iowa.  He graduated from Orange High School in Waterloo.  Keith was united in marriage to Jean Ann Hartman on February 17, 1950 at the Zion Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Iowa.  After high school, Keith operated a dry cleaning business for 12 years.  Keith then became a licensed realtor in 1957 and later acquired an independent insurance agency in 1965, which he owned and operated along with his real estate company.  He later sold the insurance company, but continued selling real estate right up until his demise.  Keith was past president of the Waterloo Cedar Falls Board of Realtors and served on many local and state Board Committees.  He was named Iowa’s Realtor of the year in 1967. 

After losing his oldest daughter Karen to suicide, Keith started and was facilitator, from 1982 until 1990, for a Suicide Survivor’s grief support group that met once a month for friends and families that have lost someone to suicide.  He was a member of the American Association of Sociology and attended many of their National Conventions.  He was named Coordinator for a Government Suicide Prevention Program for the state of Iowa and surrounding states in 1985-1986.  Keith also appeared on the Phil Donahue T.V. Show in 1985 to speak on the subject of young women and suicide.  He was also interviewed by Good Morning America and several other radio stations to talk about the subject of suicide.  Keith also presented suicide preventions programs to churches, services clubs, high schools, at the University of Northern Iowa and also held continuing education classes at Hawkeye Tech on suicide grief and preventions.  Keith researched multiple sibling suicides in four Midwest states and presented his findings to the American Association of Suicidology.  This study was done in partnership with a clinical psychiatrist who was also a sibling survivor of suicide.

Keith semi-retired and moved to his family lake home on the shores of Lake Pepin in the historic, not incorporated Village of Old Frontenac.  Keith had some unusual hobbies. He enjoyed mowing the grass, planting shrubs, trees and flowers.  He became quite the landscaper with great canvas to work with.  Keith also relaxed by shopping at fine men’s clothing stores and always maintained an impressive wardrobe, as he loved to dress up.  On the flip side, he also loved working in his workshop building things for his home.  Keith loved all family get togethers and thoroughly enjoyed playing Santa for the grandchildren when they were young.  His sense of humor, joy for life, joy for his family, joy for his working and producing, joy of helping upwards of four generations buy a home are just a few of his trademarks.  He always just wanted to provide the best for his family, and this he always did. 

Keith is survived by his wife, Jean Ann; his children, Lynne (Bruce) Hansen of Prior Lake and Julie Trattles of Walters, MN; by his grandchildren and their families, Jennifer (Tate) Hallstrom and their son Lance, Jillian (Eric) Specht and their children Ava and Jace, Ellen Hansen, Brianna Trattles and Matthew Trattles and by many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter Karen Wisner, his sister Zelma Latner and by his brother Eugene Stokes.