WYATT, Ralph Tozier October 25, 1914 to August 5, 2006.
Ralph 91, passed away on Saturday, August 5, 2006 at his home in Newhall, with his sister Eva Mae and his children at his side, along with his son-in-law Wayne Newman. His death was the result of post-surgical complications. Ralph was born in Los Angeles, California on October 25, 1914 to Ralph W. Wyatt (formerly known as Joseph J. Ledbetter) and Leoma (aka Leona) Melissa Beaver. In January, 1931, at age 16, he graduated from George Washington High School. He was admitted to UCLA in the fall of 1931 intending to major in petroleum chemistry. However, with the Depression in full swing, he was required to work in his father's parking lot at Fifth and Figueroa. Over the next four years, he attended Los Angeles Jr. College with an emphasis in chemistry, completing 66 units. On May 1, 1936, he married Jessie Katherine Swain. Ralph was preceded in his death by his wife Jessie, his sisters Lillian Leona Van Hook and Gwendolyn Eugenia Wyatt. He is survived by his sister Eva Mae Wyatt, his four children Kathleen Marie O'Brien, Linda Lee Newman (Wayne), Jessica Ann Card (Gary Klemens) and Ralph Wm. Wyatt (Darlene), nephew Raymond Carlton Van Hook (Linda), nine grandchildren, Michael James O'Brien, Kelly Kathleen O'Brien, Patrick Shawn O'Brien, David Wayne Newman, Trisha Dawn Newman Dominguez, Brandy Dene Card, Anastasha Samantha Klemens, Raef Tozier Wyatt and Tynan William Wyatt, and seven great-grandchildren Eric James O'Brien, Liam Keely O'Brien, Cullen Tozier O'Brien, Aidin Ian O'Brien, Taylor Wayne Newman, Jordan Nicholas Dominguez and Arianna Michelle Dominguez. They will miss his wry humor, intellect, compassion and guidance. On March 1, 1939 he joined the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department as a Deputy and after a brief stint in the "bullpen" he was assigned to the Los Angeles County jail and detention camps for "training." In 1940, he was assigned to the Vermont station on radio car patrol. In 1941, he was transferred to the Firestone Station, again on radio car patrol. In 1943, he was promoted to Detective Sergeant remaining at the Firestone Station. In 1948, he was assigned as a Detective Sergeant to the anti-robbery-gangster unit.
In 1949, he was promoted to Detective Lieutenant and assigned to the Lennox Station supervising the night detective sergeants. In 1950, he transferred to the Hollywood station supervising detective sergeants and later, downtown to the safe burglary detail at the Hall of Justice. In 1954, he was promoted to Captain and returned to the Firestone Station. In 1955, he was the First Captain of the "new" Firestone Station, which was decommissioned in 1993. In March 1957, under Sheriff E. W. Biscailuz, he was made an acting Inspector for Area C, supervising five stations. On November 28, 1957 he achieved the rank of Inspector and was assigned to Wayside Honor Rancho, now known as the Peter J. Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, California. In 1960, he was assigned to the Detective Bureau at the Hall of Justice in downtown Los Angeles where he remained until his retirement on May 1, 1968. His retirement goals were simple - travel with Jessie to explore their family histories, read books, continue to solve crossword puzzles, enjoy his grandchildren and never work for anybody again. He enjoyed his daily calisthenics. He was an avid walker and shared many enjoyable years of long walks with his daughters Jessica and Linda. He was a regular at the Firestone Oldtimers' luncheons at Maggie's Pub, swapping stories with the men and women of Firestone. His approach to life was to "Learn as if you were to live forever. . .Live as if you were to die tomorrow." He emphasized the value of education to his children and grandchildren and supported his children through their educational adventures. Ralph was a 32nd degree Mason, Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, an Al Malaikah Shriner and a member of the Native Sons of the Golden West. In his last years, he determined his father's given name was Joseph J. Ledbetter until 1905 when, for unknown reasons, he began using the name "Ralph W. Wyatt."
