Ralph Junior Chastain

RALPH J CHASTAIN June 8, 1932 – February 2, 2018

February 2, 2018 Ralph J. Chastain , born June 8, 1932, in Hayesville, NC finally went to the home where he so longed to be, with his parents, James Henry and Minnie May Stewart Chastain, siblings, Sis, Don, James and Claude and many other loved ones and friends.
Ralph spent his childhood roaming his beloved mountains around Hayesville, attended Chigger Hill Elementary School, and Hayesville High School, but graduated from Ellijay High School in Georgia where his family moved his junior year.
After graduation, he and his buddy, Talmadge Ellis, anticipating being drafted, joined the Navy. After training in California, he found himself in the midst of the Korean and Chinese Wars, accompanying the Fleet Admiral as his communication officer , using Morse Code, from ship to ship. While in that region Ralph visited Korea , China and the Great Wall, Japan, Hong Kong, which he thought was the most exciting city in the world, and many others.
Returning to civilian life, Ralph enrolled at Georgia Tech, though, in truth, he had already attended college through his experiences in the Navy, which so expanded his view of life. In 1962, living in Rock Springs Apartment Complex, he met his future wife, Catherine Milledge Penn , an English teacher, and they were married in 1963, July 6.
Ralph’s business life was spent as a manufacturer’s agent, working first for Griffin and Griffin, then forming his own company Chastain-Powell with Hugo Powell and spending his later years at Austin Brown and Associates, from which he retired in 2002.
Ralph had many interests and passions. Golf was one, and he and his son-in-law Alan Leffingwell played the world’s most memorable courses in Ireland and Scotland. He loved Decatur Presbyterian Church and calling up his children and playing the harmonica over the phone for them. He loved driving in the mountains and spending time at the cabin overlooking the Hiawassee River.
However, his foremost passion was his family. Having four children and four grandchildren, he attended many soccer, football, basketball games, dance recitals, art exhibits, and Avondale marching band events, always with Catherine, his wife, at his side.
On February 2, 2018, Ralph died peacefully surrounded by his beloved family. He is survived by his wife Catherine of 54 years, daughters Kendra Stuart Leffingwell, Catherine McNickle Chastain-Elliott, Amy Elizabeth Chastain, and son Allan Milledge Chastain; their spouses Bruce Alan Leffingwell, Jr, Gregory Scott Elliott, Wesley Eugene Cribb and Kris Lee Bennotti; grandchildren Eliza Stone-Cribb, McNichol Cribb, Lily Leffingwell , Buck Leffingwell ; other dear family members, Charlotte Ellington and Darrell Sampson, Helen Couch, Lotte Penn and many Chastain great , and great- great nieces and nephews in the North Georgia and Hayesville areas.
Ralph Chastain was a regular guy who walked through this world and left it a better place.
Should anyone wish to honor his memory, a contribution to the Emory University Alzheimer’s Study/Chastain Family would be appreciated.