Ralph Everett Hamell
Ralph Everett Hamell, 89, of Winona Lake, Ind., and formerly of Syracuse, Ind., passed away at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2013, at Grace Village Health Care.
He was a resident of Kosciusko County, Ind., for the past 46 years where he attended Christ’s Covenant Church of Winona Lake. Ralph was a graduate of Rosamond High School in Illinois. Then he enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1943 and was a World War II veteran serving his country over in Germany and France.
He retired in 1983 working as an electrician for NIPSCO for over 35 years; and he drove a school bus for Wawasee Community Schools until 1992.
He was born on Aug. 30, 1923, in Rosamond, Ill., to Joseph E. Hamell and Clara N. (Warner) Hamell. On June 3, 1941, he was married to Evelyn Lucille Hardy, who survives in Winona Lake, Ind.
He is survived by his wife: Evelyn L. Hamell, Winona Lake; two sons: Larry Dean (Mary) Hamell, DeKalb, Ill.; Lester Allen (Karen) Hamell, Kimmell, Ind.; four daughters: Joyce Jean (Ronald) Harris, Plymouth, Ind.; Janice Marie (Robert) Meyer, Waterloo, Ind.; Jo Ellen (Thomas) Wagner, Wabash, Ind.; Jill Annette (Joseph) Chalk, Warsaw; 14 grandchildren; and 23-great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four sisters.
Visitation will be held from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Rd., Warsaw. The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, at the funeral home. Pastor Larry McCall will officiate. Burial will follow at Oakwood Cemetery of Warsaw with military rites conducted by the American Legion Post #49 and V.F.W. #1126 both of Warsaw; and the Indiana ARNG Honor Guard.
Memorial donations in Ralph’s name may be directed to Kosciusko Home Care and Hospice, P.O. Box 1196, Warsaw, IN 46581-1196.