In Memoriam: Ralph Cobey

Ralph Cobey, longtime chairman of the board of Galion, Ohio-based Eagle Crusher Co., passed away on Jan. 16. He was 99 years old.

A well-respected businessman and philanthropist, Cobey studied mechanical engineering prior to joining his father’s business, Perfection Steel Body Co., in 1930. The company manufactured truck bodies and hoists, including the first truck bodies for the Ford Motor Co. The company grew to include a line of farm equipment, hydraulic pumps, garbage lift containers and Eagle Crusher Co., which Cobey bought in 1952. The organization was later named Perfection Cobey Corp.

Eagle Crusher pioneered the construction of the structural steel frame jaw crusher and produced its first portable hard rock crusher in 1928. Under Cobey—a veteran of two wars—Eagle Crusher supplied all of the crushers used by the United States in the Vietnam War. Today, Eagle Crusher is under the leadership of the third generation of Cobeys in manufacturing.

A 32^nd Degree Mason, Cobey supported a number of community-enriching projects, including the Malabar Farm, a state park and demonstration working farm in Lucas, Ohio. Cobey was also an avid supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, hosting annual weekend campouts at his home, Pleasant Valley Farm.

Cobey is survived by his wife of 64 years, two daughters (and sons-in-law) and one grandson. His enthusiasm for his work inspired his daughter Susanne—Eagle Crusher’s current president and CEO—to join the company in 1974. “Listening to him talk about his day was when I became enthralled with the business,” she says.