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11/05/2011 - Ralph McChesney Jr.
Born in Dillon, South Carolina on April 29, 1930 and died in Crawford, Nebraska on October 28, 2011. He was 81 years old at the time of death.
Ralph was born to Alice (Dickie) and Ralph S. McChesney Sr. He had an older sister Elizabeth (Bess), deceased. His mother died in the early 1960’s . His father remarried Ruth Wheeler and was married for 28 years before he died at the age of 95 in 1993.
He grew up in Thomasville, Georgia but spent summers at his mothers’ family apple tree orchard in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. His lifelong love of learning was instilled by his parents. His father was a teacher, principal and superintendent of schools in Thomasville. After graduating high school, he attended Georgia Tech where he got his BS degree in Civil Engineering. He then served two years in the U.S. Army being honorably discharged as a 1st Lieutenant. He returned to Georgia Tech and completed a MS degree in Structural Engineering. He was the first student to use their digital computer. In 1960 he moved to California where he worked as an engineer for Douglas Aircraft. He experienced and participated in the transition from traditional engineering to modern computational methods. He met his wife Shirley Leone and married her in 1963. She had two daughters and together they added two more daughters. He was the lone man in a sea of women. He supported and participated in their various activities even being designated an honorary girl scout. He left work and moved his family to Tucson, Arizona to return to school and work on engineering projects. He and Shirley enjoyed a rich life there until her death in 1999. He left Tucson in 2009 to live on the ranch near Harrison, Nebraska with his daughter Anne Wilson and her family. As his health declined, he moved to Ponderosa Villa on Sept. 1, 2011 where he eventually died on Oct. 28, 2011. During his life, he was most proud of his family.
He is survived by his four daughters and ten grandchildren: Susan and David Viguie, Marta and Jeffrey Viguie; Carol and Jeff Webb, Katie, Laura, and Emily Webb; Anne and Bill Wilson, Luke, Nikolas, and Levi Wilson; Paula and Wray Chin, Megan and Andrew Chin. He is also survived by a niece and two nephews.
Funeral services are Saturday Nov. 5, 2011 at 3:00pm at the Harrison Memorial United Methodist Church with Pastor George Kilmer officiating. Interment to follow at the Harrison Cemetery.
Memorials have been established to Harrison Memorial United Methodist Church or the Sioux County Rural Fire Dept. Donations may be sent to Chamberlain Chapel, PO Box 970, Chadron, NE 69337.
Online condolences can be made at www.chamberlainchapel.com
Chamberlain Chapel of Crawford is in charge of arrangements.
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