Ralph H. Grothouse, 95, of Nashville, passed away Monday, Jan. 18, 2016, at IU Health Hospital in Bloomington.
Ralph was born Nov. 17, 1920, in Delphos, Ohio, to the late Louis and Rosa (Ardner) Grothouse. A 1939 graduate of Jefferson High School in Delphos, he went on to serve as technical sergeant with the Army airways communications system of the United States Army Air Corps during World War II. In 1948 after service, he earned degrees in business administration and accounting from Tri-State University in Angola.
Ralph spent 35 years in the healthcare industry. He was instrumental in developing the American Hospital Association’s cost allocation program and continued to direct the program’s operation for over 20 years. Ralph lectured extensively throughout the United States at various workshops, seminars and graduate school programs in hospital administration. He was regarded as an authority on healthcare third-party reimbursement. Ralph received a one-year appointment as special consultant to the Social Security Administration on revisions to the Medicare reimbursement formula. In 1984, Ralph retired from the American Hospital Association in Chicago, where he was associate director and manager of operations for the Division of Hospital Administrative Services.
Ralph was a member of St. Agnes Catholic Church in Nashville, Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity, the American Legion, Brown County Bald Eagles, AACS Alumni, and past member of the Exchange Club and Knights of Columbus.
He is survived by his wife, Christine Rose (Schulz) Grothouse, whom he married Sept. 4, 1971, in Greencastle; daughters, Susan Ann (Richard) Rannochio of Bloomington and Sara Ann (Colquett) Van Dyke of Collierville, Tennessee; grandchildren, Elliot (April) May of Mississippi, Erik (Jenna) May of Nashville, Tennessee, Alexander and Jessica Rannochio, both of Bloomington; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Ralph was preceded in death by his siblings, Rita Grothouse and Richard, George, Irvin, Eugene and Earl Grothouse.
Father Eric Augenstein conducted a celebration of life service Jan. 22 at St. Agnes Catholic Church, with military rites presented by the Brown County Honor Guard following the service. Friends visited prior to the service at the church.
Services were entrusted to Meredith-Clark Funeral Home Cremation & Personalization Center in Morgantown.
Memorial contributions can be sent in honor of Ralph to the Brown County Humane Society, P.O. Box 746, Nashville, IN 47448.
Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the Grothouse family at meredith-clark.com.
For more information, call the funeral home at 812-597-4670.
