Ralph Edwin Ligon

Ralph Edwin Ligon, M.D., was born on the 28th of October 1941 in Moro, Arkansas, where he was raised. He passed away on the 19th of March 2011 in Little Rock, Arkansas. After graduating from Marianna High School, he attended Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas. He attended the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock, Arkansas graduating in 1967. After an Internship at Tampa General, Ralph served as a Flight Surgeon in the United States Air Force. After practicing General Medicine in Stuttgart, Arkansas, Ralph entered the Surgery Residency at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Upon completion of this program, he established a surgical practice in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. After 20 years in Pine Bluff, Ralph and his wife Marilyn moved to Houston, Texas to be with their two daughters and six grandchildren. In Houston, Ralph joined the department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical School. He was the Assistant Professor of Surgery at LBJ and Memorial Hermann Hospitals. It was there that Ralph received the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his dedication to teaching, passion for surgery, unending patience, and amazing surgical skills. Ralph was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather. His love for his children and their families was immeasurable. Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, Vinnie and Jim Ligon and his sister Patsy Ligon Dickey. He is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Marilyn, and his daughter Leah Ligon Crosswell and her husband Allen, and their children, Holcombe, Ligon, and Greyson; his daughter Heather Ligon Crosswell and her husband Brady, and their children Clayton, Chapman, and Hollings; his sister and brother-in-law, Ila and Bob Burnell of Glenn Dale Maryland; his brother and sister-in-law, James C. Ligon II and Ann of Moro Arkansas; his mother-in-law, Martha Huffer of Hazen, Arkansas and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Jo and Paul Ford of Searcy, Arkansas. A memorial service in celebration of Ralph's life will be held at Lakeside United Methodist Church in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. A notification of the service will be printed at a later date. In lieu of flowers or customary remembrances, contributions in memory of Ralph may be sent to: Myeloma Institute-for Research Purposes, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 West Markham Street, Little Rock, Arkansas, 72205.