Ralph Walter Graystone Wyckoff Jr., 90, of Lincoln City, Ore., died June 6, 2009 in Lincoln City.

He was born Oct. 25, 1918 to Ralph Walter Graystone Wyckoff and Marjorie Elizabeth MacDill Wyckoff Breit in Syracuse, N.Y. He graduated from Riverdale Country School in New York City in 1935.

He later earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. From 1942 to 1946, he served in the U.S. Army and spent the last year of his service as a war crimes investigator in the Philippines.

After returning to civilian life, he worked for the Office of Housing Expeditor in Milwaukee before transferring to Madison. It was there he met Faith Rosemary Jenkel Chada. The two married Feb. 8, 1947.

On Sept. 21, 1949, they moved to Salem, where he became employed by the Oregon State Highway Department. He served as an assistant attorney general and tried cases in 33 of Oregon’s 36 counties. One of his cases allowed for the acquisition of land where Interstate 5 and Interstate 84 would be constructed. In 1956 and 1957 he was a prosecutor for the criminal “Oregon Vice Trials” in Multnomah County.

From 1957 to 1990, he worked in a private legal practice in Salem. In the early 1960s, he joined with his law partner, Arthur G. Kaplan, to work for the New York Times and Curtis Publishing Company on major libel cases in Alabama.

After he retired from private practice, he was appointed circuit court judge for Marion County and served from 1990 to 1994. In 1996, he and Faith moved to Depoe Bay.

His favorite activities were ones spent with his family, especially exploring the Oregon coast and the Cascade Mountains. He was beloved for his insight, sense of humor and quick wit.

He is survived by his wife, Faith Wyckoff of Depoe Bay; son, Mac (Michele) Wyckoff of Eugene; daughters, Liz (Frank Burdis) Wyckoff of Austin, Texas and Carrie (the late John) Philpott of Depoe Bay; sisters, Greta Sloan and Ann Elias; and grandchildren, Melinda, Melanie, Wendy, Edward, Nora and Andrew.

A celebration of life will be at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to Samaritan North Lincoln Hospice, 3100 NE 28th St., Lincoln City, OR 97367 or Marion Polk County Legal Aid Services, 1655 State St., Salem, OR 97301.

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