The Garden City Telegram
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Letters, now book, provide outlet for man's grief
Published 11/16/2009 in Local News
By MONICA SPRINGER
While he was stationed in the military, Ralph Morton traveled to Vietnam and Panama and spent two years in Africa.
Throughout all of his travels, he said the best times were spent with his wife of 38 years, Kate, whom he met in 1970.
After her death last year, Morton wrote a series of e-mail messages to his wife's family in California, telling them about their life and adventures together. He formed them into a book, "God, Kate and I," which was released last month.
"It helped me more than anybody else in dealing with it," Morton said.
Morton, 65, who lives in Garden City, was born in Phillipsburg and grew up in Ness City and Hill City. He spent nine years in the military and lived in Panama, Vietnam and Africa.
He returned from Vietnam in 1968 and met his wife in 1970. Morton said he knew after days that she was the one. They married less than three months later.
Morton said they never fought and were only away from each other once, when Morton's mother was sick.
After his wife was diagnosed with liver cancer, she lived only a few days. But Morton said she wasn't in pain and was still herself until the end.
"It was a shock for me when she went. It was very hard for me to deal with," Morton said.
Writing the book helped that, Morton said, and his wife's family enjoys the stories of their adventures together. He said his wife kept in touch with her family in California but didn't share many details of her life with her husband.
When the family gathered for Kate's funeral, Morton realized her family didn't know of the many adventures the couple shared.
"In trying to help them, it helped me," Morton said.
A chapter of the book, quarters for kisses, tells the story of how the couple would jokingly charge each other for kisses.
"We might be somewhere in public and we would kiss each other and one of us would say 'Put a quarter on that account.' We did get some funny looks at times, but that was OK, because I loved her and didn't care what they thought," he said.
Morton still laughs when remembering the memories of the quarters for kisses.
Morton has a variety of hobbies, including hunting and shooting and working with youngsters in 4-H. He also has raced motorcycles, served as an instructor for hunter education courses, and is a lifelong horseman.
One of the chapters in his book outlines his experiences serving with the Finney County Sheriff's Posse, which he did for 17 years, including two years as commander.
The sheriff's posse is a fully sworn law enforcement group that functions as sheriff's deputies. In his book, Morton describes working at a variety of events, from routine patrol, funeral escorts, security at school and community events, missing persons, courtroom duty, domestic disputes, to providing security for country music singer Tanya Tucker.
Morton said he often just listened to people talk. And when he needed someone to talk to, his book says, "There were times when things bothered me, and I had my own personal therapist and she was the best."
Morton describes the book as a series of stories put together. And, Morton said, there's a possibility of another book in the future.
"God, Kate and I" was released Oct. 6 and is available through Morton, or online at Barnes and Noble and Amazon.com.
Found 1 comment(s)!
Looking Foward to reading the book
Having gotten the several emails in pieces, I am looking foward to getting to read the book as a whole.
Sending love from Nebraska
Posted by: K. Morton on 11/16/2009
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