Ralph Ray Dreessen Obituary
Born: January 1st, 1918
Died: May 6th, 2016
Ralph Ray Dreessen, 98, of Stillwater, Oklahoma died on Friday, May 6, 2016 in Stillwater.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 14, 2016 at First United Methodist Church of Stillwater with Reverend Kyle Anderson officiating. Internment will be at 10:30 am at Summit View Cemetery in Guthrie, OK. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.
Ralph was born at the family farmhouse southwest of Guthrie. His father was A.N. (Bat) Dreessen and mother was Goldie Smith Dreessen. He worked with his father on that farm and surrounding land from childhood through young adulthood. Farming was in his blood. Ralph attended a one-room school in Navina from the first grade through high school graduation. Ralph graduated from Oklahoma A & M College (OSU) in 1939 with a joint BS degree in Agriculture Education and Animal Husbandry and received a MS degree in Agriculture Education in 1963.
Ralph’s long and successful career in Oklahoma Vocational Agriculture began in 1940 as a Vocational Agriculture Instructor at Lamont High School and then at Guthrie High School, where he taught for 11 years. He touched many lives and helped guide thousands of young men and women in the Future Farmers of America (FFA). During his tenure at Guthrie, his FFA chapter was recognized as one of the premier programs in the country.
In 1951 Ralph joined the State of Oklahoma Vo-Ag department where he served as the Southwest District Supervisor (1951 -1959), Assistant State Supervisor (1960 - 1977), and State Supervisor from 1977 until his retirement in 1988.
Ralph married his childhood sweetheart, Lenore Shields, on June 1, 1940. They had three children, Philip (Phil), Carolyn, and Nicholas (Nick). Lenora passed from this life January 15, 1962 and Nick passed August 1, 1994.
He married Ruby Eldridge July 3, 1965. Ruby passed November 17, 2008.
In addition to his two wives and one son, Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, grandson Michael, five siblings, and stepdaughter, Gwen Peatling. He is survived by son, Phil Dreessen (Patty) of Houston TX, and daughter, Carolyn Kinney (Bill) of Austin TX. Ralph had seven grandchildren and eleven great-grand children. The grandchildren are Kristi Harvey, Jeff Kinney, Robert Kinney, Julie Moreton, Nicole Lackowski, Johanna Craft, and step-grandson, Trent Peatling. Ralph’s surviving siblings are Richard Dreessen, Francis Beasley, and Mona Crum.
Throughout his vocational agriculture career and long residence in Guthrie, Stillwater, and the Oklahoma State University community, Ralph amassed innumerable cherished friends of all ages, many of whom provided much support and help in his later years. During the last 6 years of his life he received outstanding care at Golden Oaks Village. The family wishes to express hearth-felt appreciation to all his caregivers at Golden Oaks, as well as the fine care given by Terry Brown, MD, Robert Lauvetz, MD, and their staffs. Additionally, Companion Hospice provided outstanding care and support during the last three months of his life.
Since his college days, Ralph was an avid Oklahoma A & M (and Oklahoma State) fan and supporter. He rarely missed a sporting event and analyzed each and every game and play. Utilizing skills he developed over a lifetime of judging livestock, he evaluated players and coaches alike.
Throughout his 98 years in this life, Ralph tended to the needs of others, helping generations of family members, students, teachers, and colleagues. He fed cattle into his early nineties --- then he started feeding the geese at Golden Oaks Village Pond. Bless him!!
Ralph was a long time member of First United Methodist Church in Stillwater. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to the First United Methodist Church, the Oklahoma FFA Foundation, and the Oklahoma State University Foundation.
Condolences may be emailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com
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