Shetler, Ralph (1920-2004)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 2004 Nov 8 p. 8

Birth date: 1920 Feb 15

text of obituary:

RALPH SHETLER

Ralph Shetler, 84, of Scotts Mills, Ore., died Oct. 18, 2004. He was born Feb. 15, 1920, to Milton and Ada (Miller) Shetler in Cheraw, Colo.

In 1931, his family moved to Hesston, Kan. He graduated from Hesston Academy in 1938. He took one semester of college at Hesston.

On May 30, 1943, he married Margaret Pursley in the Hesston College chapel. They moved to Oregon immediately afterward.

He was drafted and opted for Civilian Public Service in lieu of military service. He served nearly two years at CPS Camp #55, in Belton, Mont., and the final six months on a dairy farm at Tracy, Calif. After CPS, they returned to Oregon.

He became a Christian and a member of Hesston Mennonite Church at a young age. Since 1967 he was a member of Zion Mennonite Church of Hubbard, Ore.

He worked in sawmills in Oregon and spent about 15 years caring for research animals and working as a storekeeper at the medical school and Oregon Regional Primate Research Center. In 1976-77, he and Margaret spent time in voluntary service in eastern Kentucky.

He enjoyed computers, genealogy and figuring out family connections. He was active with Oregon Mennonite Historical and Genealogical Society and helped put the obituaries from Gospel Herald and Herald of Truth on the Internet. They traveled quite a bit in later years, including a trip to Europe.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret; six children, Marvin and his wife, Shirl, of Aumsville, David and his wife, Susana, of Coral Gables, Fla., Howard and his wife, Rosie, and Jerold and his wife, Joan, both of Scotts Mills, Ruby Honan and her husband, Tim, of Carbondale, Colo., and Lawrence and his wife, Flo, of Lakeside, Mont.; 10 siblings, Leland of Mountain Home, Idaho, LaVerne Horst of Warden, Wash., Helen Reeder of Marysville, Wash., Floyd of Kelso, Wash., Eldon of Wamic, Walter of Moses Lake, Wash., Paul of Filer, Idaho, Ruth Stutzman of Kimberly, Idaho, Harold of Twin Falls, Idaho, and Lois Decker of Montrose, Colo.; 27 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by a stillborn son, Daniel, in 1956.

Memorial services were held at the Zion Mennonite Church east of Hubbard. Burial was in Zion Mennonite Church Cemetery.