Ralph Layne Self

1953 - 2014 

Ralph Layne Self passed away on Sunday, September 21, 2014 of a heart attack at his home in Golden, Colorado. He was 60 years old.

He was born on October 18, 1953 in Salt Lake City to Ralph LeRoy and Lorraine Johnson Self, the second of six children.

Layne graduated from Skyline High School in 1972. He served a Spanish speaking mission for the LDS Church in Los Angeles, California. He attended Dixie State College from 1976-1977 then continued his education at Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma where he graduated in June of 1986. Layne's passion and vocation were aviation and Forex trading. He was employed as a Flight Simulator Technician for United Airlines for the past 28 years.

He married Tamara Kaye Conder on March 10, 1978, they later divorced. They have one son, Daxton Layne. On July 6, 2012, Layne married Gina Sanderson and together they enjoyed spending time with their children and grandchildren and making plans for their future.

The world was Layne's playground. He enjoyed many outdoor activities and was a skilled craftsman. Along with being an accomplished hang-glider pilot, he savored competitive paragliding which challenged him and gave him a sense of freedom. Flying remote controlled sail planes with his son was a favorite past-time. His love for the outdoors took him flyfishing, target-shooting, skydiving and scuba diving. He especially loved mountain biking and camping with his loving wife Gina. Layne appreciated the integrity of something well-built. He loved working hard on a project only to turn around and share it with friends and family. He spent time rebuilding antique bamboo fly rods and was in the process of building intricately detailed wooden sea kayaks. Layne and Gina looked forward to their maiden voyage.

Layne was highly respected for his calm, kind and humble demeanor. He will truly be missed by all.
 

He is survived by his wife Gina; son Daxton and his wife Kasi, granddaughter Aeris, grandson Eric, step-daughter Mikaela and her husband Scott Flanagan, step-sons Liam and Connor Murphy; his mother, Lorraine; brothers, Drake, Trent, Todd; sisters, Brooke and Paige. Preceded in death by his father, Ralph. 
 

Funeral services will be held Saturday, September 27, 2014 in Golden, Colorado. Interment: Golden Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be directed to the discretion of the family for Layne's memorial graveside bench.

Published in Salt Lake Tribune from Sept. 27 to Sept. 28, 2014