L. Atley Ralston

Lewis Atley Ralston, MD 1934–2026

Atley died peacefully on May 18, 2026, with his wife, Sheila, by his side. He was born in 1934 to Carl and Doris Ralston in Sheridan, Wyoming. He graduated from Sheridan High School in 1952, from Whitman College in 1956, and from the University of Washington School of Medicine in 1960. He married Sheila Bird in 1958.

He completed his internship at the University of Kansas and his four-year residency in ophthalmology at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, interrupted by two years as a flight surgeon at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He then spent five years in Wenatchee, Washington, in a group practice. By then his family included children Anna, John, James, and Amy.

The family moved to Kirkland, where Atley began a 20-year solo ophthalmology practice. He loved his patients and they loved him. His interests included piano playing, enjoying all his children's activities, golf, vegetable gardening, fly fishing, discussing world and local issues with friends, and traveling with Sheila and his grandchildren, all ten of them.

He continued all his activities during his retirement. His later years were spent at a home near downtown Kirkland, a beach house on the Oregon Coast, and, finally, at Panorama in Lacey, Washington.

He is survived by his wife, Sheila; children Anna (Paul), John (Diane), James (Ann), and Amy (Ted); ten grandchildren; two great-grandsons; and sister, Barbara.

His kindness touched all who knew him.

Celebration of life will be held on Saturday, June 6th, at 11 AM at Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 2306 East End Street NW, Olympia, Washington. A webcast link can be found at: https://www.ouuc.org/atley-ralston/

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in his honor to the Nature Conservancy or Seattle Opera.