HOLMES, Ralph William 1920-2014

HOLMES, RUVENACHT, SHAW

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 10/21/2014 at 13:06:57

#1:

CHARLES CITY, IOWA - Ralph Holmes, 94, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, formerly of Charles City, died Saturday, October 18, 2014, at his son’s home in Maple Grove, surrounded by his family.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Trinity United Methodist Church in Charles City. Pastor Jim Beranek will officiate. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery at Charles City. There will be a flag presentation by the Charles City Ceremonial Unit.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Hauser Funeral Home, Charles City, and an hour prior to the service on Thursday.

The Hauser Funeral Home, 641-228-2323, in Charles City, is in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.hauserfh.com .

Source: Mason City Globe Gazette website, 21 OCT 2014
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#2:

Ralph Holmes

Date Of Birth: August 12, 1920
Date Of Death: October 18, 2014

Service Date: Thursday, October 23, 2014 at 10:30 a.m.
Trinity United Methodist Church

Ralph Holmes, 94, of Maple Grove, Minnesota, formerly of Charles City, died Saturday, October 18, 2014, at his son's home in Maple Grove surrounded by his family.

Funeral services for Ralph Holmes will be held 10:30 a.m. Thursday at Trinity United Methodist Church in Charles City. Pastor Jim Beranek will officiate. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery at Charles City. There will be a flag presentation by the Charles City Ceremonial Unit.

Friends may call at the Hauser Funeral Home from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday and an hour prior to the service on Thursday.

Ralph William Holmes was the oldest son of Vern and Lillian May (Ruvenacht) Holmes. Ralph grew up in rural Iowa graduating from Maynard High School in 1938. He studied Electrical Engineering at Iowa State until 1940 then he worked as a farm hand until 1942. At that time he attended American Tech in Des Moines where he studied sheet metal skills and riveting. He moved to San Diego where he worked at Consolidated Aircraft, Riveting Wing Spars and working as a Spotter on Hydraulic Press.

In 1943 Ralph moved back to Iowa and married Gladys Pauline Shaw on June 6th. During this time he worked for a farmer. In February of 1944 he enlisted in the Army Air Corps. In September of 1945 Gladys gave birth to their first child Myrna, and in November he received an honorable discharge. Between 1946 and 1948 Ralph worked at Wood Products in Waterloo, then for a farmer, near their home in Oakwood Iowa. In November of 1948 Gladys gave birth to their second child Roger.

From 1948 until 1956 Ralph worked at the Chrysler Garage in Nashua, and for the Nashua Schools as a custodian. In 1956 he started working for Oliver Corporation in Charles City as a draftsman, and eventually he was promoted to project engineer. In 1969 Ralph was transferred to Hopkins, Minnesota, and later to Greys Lake, Illinois. Ralph moved back to Charles City in 1984, and worked for White Farm as a contract person for another year.

Over the years Ralph enjoyed domestic travel and perused many hobbies including gardening, home remodeling, fishing, repairing small engines and smelting aluminum. He was always interested in how things worked and could repair almost anything. During the last year of his life he built a steam engine from scratch and mounted it on a pressure cooker. He donated a made to scale White Farm tractor, which he made in retirement to the museum in Charles City (a replica of one he helped design).

Ralph and Gladys were members of Trinity Methodist Church in Charles City, until 2004 when Gladys passed away. Ralph continued to be a member until he moved to Minnesota in 2009.

Ralph is survived by one Brother, Ken (Delores) Holmes of Menifee, California; a sister, Dorothy Gilmer of Maynard, Iowa; one Daughter, Myrna (Eli) Leija, of Battleground Washington; and a son, Roger (Ann) Holmes of Maple Grove, Minnesota; six grandchildren: Michelle Adrian of Hunting Beach, California, Amy Gable of Vancouver Washington, Randal Gable of Bellingham Washington, Ryan Gable of Minneapolis Minnesota, Betsey Holmes (Mark) Faerber of Coon Rapids Minnesota, and Maggie Holmes (John) Heien; six great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his Wife Gladys; two sisters: Loretta Holmes Miller and Evelyn Holmes Chase.

Source: Hauser Funeral Home website, 22 OCT 2014