Ralph Lyle Dent

Mr. Ralph Lyle Dent, age 96, of Atlantic, formerly of Audubon, IA, passed away at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis, MO. He was the son of Lester Lawrence and Daisy (Smith) Dent, and was born on April 13, 1930, at Home in Polk Township, Shelby County, Iowa. The youngest of four siblings, he attended Danway School in Polk Township until the sixth grade, when the family moved to the Irwin School District. In 1947, he graduated from the Irwin schools. He helped the family on the farm until November of 1951, when he was enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, and was later discharged in November 1953.

He then returned to farming and attended Radio Engineering in Omaha. In June 1958, he began working for Martin Industries in Denver, CO. On September 28, 1958, he married Delores Pfundheller, and they made their first home in Littleton. In 1964, he returned to farming in the Fiscus area, purchasing 80 acres. Ralph was a member of the Farm Services Agency. He also served on several committees for the First United Methodist Church in Audubon and was a Sunday School Teacher. Ralph's famous words he lived by and told others were, "Do the best that you can, don't worry about the rest."

Preceding him in death are his parents; son, Brian Dent; one brother, Lynn Dent, and two sisters, Inona and Shirley.

Ralphy is survived by his wife, Delores; son, Steven (Andrea) Dent, of Eureka, MO; daughters, Lesta (Roger) Miltenberger, of Sergeant Bluff, IA, and Julie (Lynn) Zajicek, of Panora, IA; Grandchildren, David (Jill) Miltenberger, Michael (Sara) Dent, Alex (Mary) Miltenberger, Andrew (Emily) Dent, Adam (Angie) Dent, Grant (Samantha) Zajicek, Nova (Sol) Dent; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Public visitation with the family will be held from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 06, 2026, at the Schmidt Family Funeral Home in ATLANTIC.

Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, October 07, 2026, at the First United Methodist Church in AUDUBON, with interment to follow at the Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon. A luncheon will take place following the committal in the Fellowship Hall of the Church in AUDUBON.

There will be a second visitation held one hour before the Funeral at the CHURCH in AUDUBON on Wednesday, October 07.

Memorials may be directed to the Good Samaritan Fund at Heritage House in Atlantic, or the First United Methodist Church of Audubon, in memory of Ralph. They may be mailed to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home, P.O. BOX 523, ATLANTIC, IA 50022.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted with the Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Atlantic.