Ralph Waite ( June 22 , 1928 -- February 13 , 2014 ) was an American actor , voice artist , and political activist , best known for his role as John Walton , Sr. on `` The Waltons '' , which he occasionally directed .
Ralph Waite ( June 22 , 1928 -- February 13 , 2014 ) was an American actor . He is best known for his role as John Walton , Sr. , on the 1970s CBS TV series `` The Waltons '' .