Deacon Bill Ralston, 68, of Fort Smith died Friday, April 18, 2008, in his home. He was born June 21, 1939, in Charleston to the late Francis Willard Ralston Sr. and Ethel Parker Ralston. He was a retired pastoral care minister at St. Edward Mercy Medical Center and Peachtree Hospice in Fort Smith. He was an Army veteran of the Vietnam War, board member of the Gateway House in Fort Smith and a deacon and member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Fort Smith. He was preceded in death by his wife, Louise Ralston.

Rosary service will be 7:00 p.m. today, followed by family visitation a Brotherton Funeral Home Chapel in Charleston.

Funeral Mass will be 10:00 a.m. Monday, April 21, 2008, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Charleston with burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Charleston under the direction of Brotherton Brothers Funeral Home of Charleston. Officiating the services will be Deacon Tom Pohlmeir and Father Peter Sharum.

He is survived by three sons, Trey Ralston and wife, Cindy, of Fort Smith, Ed Ralston and wife, Stacy, of Charleston, and Jamie Strickland and wife, Lee Ann, of Hackett; one brother, Leonard Ralston and wife, Anna Marie, of Bethesda, Md.; and seven grandchildren, Sara, Taylor, Katie, Shelby, Caden, Seth, and Hunter.

Pallbearers will be Gene Bruick, Roger James, Herman Verkamp, Pete Ketter, Charlie Ketter, Bob Ralston, Jim Stengal, and Jim Kiefer.

Memorial contributions may be made to I.C. School Endowment, P.O. Box 1866, Fort Smith, AR 72902-1866, or Donald W. Reynolds Cancer Support House, 3324 S. M St., Fort Smith, AR 72903.