Ralph C. Emery

In his own words, Ralph Chatterton Emery had a “wonderful life.” He loved life, family, golf, and his friends. He was born on Christmas day, 1922 in Salt Lake City, Utah and left this mortal life on November 21, 2016, just five weeks prior to his 94th birthday. He so wanted to live longer to continue spending time with his six grandchildren, who brought him such joy. He was the third of four children born to Alma Rhodes Emery and Effie Chatterton Emery. When Ralph was 11 years old, his father became the superintendent of Nibley Park Golf Course, and the family lived in a home on the course for many years. This accessibility to the golf course began a lifelong passion for the game of golf. He and his younger brother Clare both became golf professionals. He was a lifetime member of the PGA.

Ralph grew up in Salt Lake City and graduated from Granite High School. He was drafted into the US Army Air Corps and served during WWII in the 475th Fighter Group.   
After serving in the war, Ralph’s focus returned to golf. Golf became his career, and he played in many golf tournaments, including three US public links championships. He won numerous local tournaments including the Salt Lake City Amateur, the Western Utah Amateur, and the Vernal Open. He was the golf professional at the Copper Golf Club in Magna, an assistant golf professional at the Salt Lake Country Club, and then assisted Bill Neff in building a 9-hole golf course in Park City. Upon completion, he became the pro at that course, the Park City Municipal Golf Course, where he worked for almost 20 years. He and Lanny Nielsen designed the Palisade Golf Course in Sterling, Utah. He continued working at Jeremy Ranch, Stansbury Park and Glenmoor Golf Course well into his 80s. He had four hole-in-ones during his career.

He met his sweetheart, Annette Larene Jensen, in February of 1968. They were married nine months later on November 4th in Fremont California. They were blessed with two daughters, Cheryle and Brenda, who adored their father, and he adored them. 

Throughout his life, he loved spending time golfing, planting trees on golf courses, reading, gardening, fishing, building bird houses, and above all, being with his grandchildren, daughters, sons-in-law, and his sweetheart Nettie. He continued to play excellent golf until he was 91 years old, and loved teaching his grandchildren the fundamentals of golf and watching them develop a love for the game. He cherished his friendships with his golfing buddies and was well known everywhere he went. He had a wonderful sense of humor and kept us laughing with his witty one-liners. Even as his health declined, his mind remained clear and sharp. He was a lifelong member of the LDS church. As he approached his 93rd birthday, he reflected, “I look back and I can say that I have no regrets.”

He will be dearly missed by his wife Annette; daughters and sons-in-law Cheryle and Kurt Mounteer, Brenda and Ben Thomas; grandchildren Kallie, Jake and Logan Mounteer and Emery, Sam and Luke Thomas; and many friends and extended family members.

Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 26, 2016 at 11:00 am in the Grandview 3rd Ward, 2930 S 2000 E, SLC, UT. Friends may visit with the family Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at Holbrook Mortuary, 3251 S 2300 E, SLC, UT, or at the ward on Saturday from 9:30 to 10:30 am prior to the service. Interment at Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park. Guestbook to post messages for the family available at: www.HolbrookMortuary.com