|
| |
Ralph E. Bonnell, 83, of Dewey, died Tuesday in Dewey.
Ralph was born to Everett H. and Luella (Wiggins) Bonnell on Feb. 13, 1933, in Cedar Vale, KS. He was raised and educated in Cedar Vale and after graduating Ralph entered junior college in Arkansas City, KS. Shortly after, he enlisted in the Navy Sea Bees, but while in transit to Korea the war ended. He was then sent to the Philippines where he worked in the modification of the Subic Bay naval base, and also served in the Aleutian Islands. After honorable discharge, he continued his education at South Western College in Winfield, earning a bachelor's degree in business. While in Arkansas City he met Mary Jones at the local cafe she worked at. Ralph started his career with Phillips Petroleum Co. in 1964 and a year later, Mary joined him after they got married on Dec.13, 1965, in Sedan, KS. They moved to their current home in 1972 a year after their son John was born. Ralph worked for 27 years at the research center on a wide range of projects, many of which led to products we take for granted today.
Ralph had many passions in life but music and cars were his favorites. He enjoyed many different genres but he especially loved to play guitar and sing country music. He started to write his own music after he turned 70. He was known for his Studebakers and his Gremlin which he still drove regularly around town. Ralph was a super fan of the Beatles, he admired the fact that the fab four were all equally talented and performed their own individual music. Ralph felt their music touched the soul in a way that has been lost in the modern era. Ralph's son John admired his father and they were best friends - John recalls his friends admired Ralph for being "too cool for this world." Ralph was John's greatest fan and supporter. He will be dearly missed by many, but most of all John.
Ralph is survived by his son John Evan Bonnell of Dewey.
He is preceded in death by his parents.
Memorial services will be held 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 28, at the Davis Family Funeral Home Chapel, with Chaplin Mike McDougan officiating. Services are under the direction of Carter Davis and the Davis Family Funeral Home.
Online condolences and remembrances may be shared with Ralph's family at
www.DavisFamilyFuneralHome.com.
This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000-2024 Oklahoma CemeteriesThe information on this site is provided free for the purpose of researching your genealogy. This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, for your own research, as long as this message remains on all copied material. The information contained in this site may not be copied to any other site without written "snail-mail" permission. If you wish to have a copy of a donor's material, you must have their permission. All information found on these pages is under copyright of Oklahoma Cemeteries. This is to protect any and all information donated. The original submitter or source of the information will retain their copyright. Unless otherwise stated, any donated material is given to Oklahoma Cemeteries to make it available online. This material will always be available at no cost, it will always remain free to the researcher.