Lt. Col USAF Ret. Ralph L. Conner was born about an hour southwest of Sioux City, IA up in the Northeast corner of Cornhusker Country in the small, hardworking farming community of Wakefield, NE on Sunday, May 24, 1931.
As a senior Ralph was a member of the undefeated 1948 Wakefield High School State Championship basketball team. In the fall of 1949, during his first year of college at Wayne State College in neighboring Wayne, NE. Ralph was a member of WSC's only undefeated football team, ever, and was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
It was towards the end of his second year in college when Ralph and a friend decided to enlist in the United States Air Force as the Korean War was escalating. At first slated to be a B-29 tail-gunner, he signed up for training to become an officer and radar operator and flew in the back seat of an F-94 jet interceptor in 1953. From there Ralph went on to navigation school and finally pilot training in late 1954. The Air Force decided they needed tanker pilots so Ralph first flew KC-97s beginning in mid 1955 and joined the 2nd class to train in the KC-135 which he flew for 11 years until his last tour in Vietnam (1969-70) where he flew B-57s and O-1s (FAC). Ralph retired in the summer of 1972 after nearly 22 years in.
After the Air Force, Ralph took his family to the island city of Venice on the lower Gulf Coast of Florida where he worked as a real estate broker in the area for 30+ years. Everywhere he ever lived Ralph was always involved with the landscaping aspects of his home from building fences or laying sod, to creating intricate plantings, rock gardens, and paths with flowers, plants and trees of all descriptions.
Ralph did a stint as Airport Manager at Venice Airport and served on local committees. Ralph joined various civic organizations including Kiwanis & was a 7+ gallon blood donor.
Ralph and Jan moved to New Mexico in 2008, for the second time, after living in Roswell in the mid 1960s at Walker AFB.
The Good Lord called Ralph to his Final Skyward Rendezvous the evening of June 12, 2017 peacefully, with family present.
Ralph was preceded in death by his mother, Eva, his much loved sister, Betty and one grandson, Conner L Smithhisler.
Ralph is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Janet Eileen (Mostoller) Conner, son, Steve of Edgewood, NM daughter, Linda Smithhisler and her husband, Mark and son Galen, from Dallas TX and Ralph's younger brother, Glenn from Omaha, NE, as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws scattered throughout the country.
Final interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, later this year.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in his name to Wreaths Across America and to Flags for Fallen Vets.
As a senior Ralph was a member of the undefeated 1948 Wakefield High School State Championship basketball team. In the fall of 1949, during his first year of college at Wayne State College in neighboring Wayne, NE. Ralph was a member of WSC's only undefeated football team, ever, and was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
It was towards the end of his second year in college when Ralph and a friend decided to enlist in the United States Air Force as the Korean War was escalating. At first slated to be a B-29 tail-gunner, he signed up for training to become an officer and radar operator and flew in the back seat of an F-94 jet interceptor in 1953. From there Ralph went on to navigation school and finally pilot training in late 1954. The Air Force decided they needed tanker pilots so Ralph first flew KC-97s beginning in mid 1955 and joined the 2nd class to train in the KC-135 which he flew for 11 years until his last tour in Vietnam (1969-70) where he flew B-57s and O-1s (FAC). Ralph retired in the summer of 1972 after nearly 22 years in.
After the Air Force, Ralph took his family to the island city of Venice on the lower Gulf Coast of Florida where he worked as a real estate broker in the area for 30+ years. Everywhere he ever lived Ralph was always involved with the landscaping aspects of his home from building fences or laying sod, to creating intricate plantings, rock gardens, and paths with flowers, plants and trees of all descriptions.
Ralph did a stint as Airport Manager at Venice Airport and served on local committees. Ralph joined various civic organizations including Kiwanis & was a 7+ gallon blood donor.
Ralph and Jan moved to New Mexico in 2008, for the second time, after living in Roswell in the mid 1960s at Walker AFB.
The Good Lord called Ralph to his Final Skyward Rendezvous the evening of June 12, 2017 peacefully, with family present.
Ralph was preceded in death by his mother, Eva, his much loved sister, Betty and one grandson, Conner L Smithhisler.
Ralph is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Janet Eileen (Mostoller) Conner, son, Steve of Edgewood, NM daughter, Linda Smithhisler and her husband, Mark and son Galen, from Dallas TX and Ralph's younger brother, Glenn from Omaha, NE, as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws scattered throughout the country.
Final interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, later this year.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in his name to Wreaths Across America and to Flags for Fallen Vets.
Lt. Col USAF Ret. Ralph L. Conner was born about an hour southwest of Sioux City, IA up in the Northeast corner of Cornhusker Country in the small, hardworking farming community of Wakefield, NE on Sunday, May 24, 1931.
As a senior Ralph was a member of the undefeated 1948 Wakefield High School State Championship basketball team. In the fall of 1949, during his first year of college at Wayne State College in neighboring Wayne, NE. Ralph was a member of WSC's only undefeated football team, ever, and was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
It was towards the end of his second year in college when Ralph and a friend decided to enlist in the United States Air Force as the Korean War was escalating. At first slated to be a B-29 tail-gunner, he signed up for training to become an officer and radar operator and flew in the back seat of an F-94 jet interceptor in 1953. From there Ralph went on to navigation school and finally pilot training in late 1954. The Air Force decided they needed tanker pilots so Ralph first flew KC-97s beginning in mid 1955 and joined the 2nd class to train in the KC-135 which he flew for 11 years until his last tour in Vietnam (1969-70) where he flew B-57s and O-1s (FAC). Ralph retired in the summer of 1972 after nearly 22 years in.
After the Air Force, Ralph took his family to the island city of Venice on the lower Gulf Coast of Florida where he worked as a real estate broker in the area for 30+ years. Everywhere he ever lived Ralph was always involved with the landscaping aspects of his home from building fences or laying sod, to creating intricate plantings, rock gardens, and paths with flowers, plants and trees of all descriptions.
Ralph did a stint as Airport Manager at Venice Airport and served on local committees. Ralph joined various civic organizations including Kiwanis & was a 7+ gallon blood donor.
Ralph and Jan moved to New Mexico in 2008, for the second time, after living in Roswell in the mid 1960s at Walker AFB.
The Good Lord called Ralph to his Final Skyward Rendezvous the evening of June 12, 2017 peacefully, with family present.
Ralph was preceded in death by his mother, Eva, his much loved sister, Betty and one grandson, Conner L Smithhisler.
Ralph is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Janet Eileen (Mostoller) Conner, son, Steve of Edgewood, NM daughter, Linda Smithhisler and her husband, Mark and son Galen, from Dallas TX and Ralph's younger brother, Glenn from Omaha, NE, as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws scattered throughout the country.
Final interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, later this year.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in his name to Wreaths Across America and to Flags for Fallen Vets.
As a senior Ralph was a member of the undefeated 1948 Wakefield High School State Championship basketball team. In the fall of 1949, during his first year of college at Wayne State College in neighboring Wayne, NE. Ralph was a member of WSC's only undefeated football team, ever, and was inducted into their Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.
It was towards the end of his second year in college when Ralph and a friend decided to enlist in the United States Air Force as the Korean War was escalating. At first slated to be a B-29 tail-gunner, he signed up for training to become an officer and radar operator and flew in the back seat of an F-94 jet interceptor in 1953. From there Ralph went on to navigation school and finally pilot training in late 1954. The Air Force decided they needed tanker pilots so Ralph first flew KC-97s beginning in mid 1955 and joined the 2nd class to train in the KC-135 which he flew for 11 years until his last tour in Vietnam (1969-70) where he flew B-57s and O-1s (FAC). Ralph retired in the summer of 1972 after nearly 22 years in.
After the Air Force, Ralph took his family to the island city of Venice on the lower Gulf Coast of Florida where he worked as a real estate broker in the area for 30+ years. Everywhere he ever lived Ralph was always involved with the landscaping aspects of his home from building fences or laying sod, to creating intricate plantings, rock gardens, and paths with flowers, plants and trees of all descriptions.
Ralph did a stint as Airport Manager at Venice Airport and served on local committees. Ralph joined various civic organizations including Kiwanis & was a 7+ gallon blood donor.
Ralph and Jan moved to New Mexico in 2008, for the second time, after living in Roswell in the mid 1960s at Walker AFB.
The Good Lord called Ralph to his Final Skyward Rendezvous the evening of June 12, 2017 peacefully, with family present.
Ralph was preceded in death by his mother, Eva, his much loved sister, Betty and one grandson, Conner L Smithhisler.
Ralph is survived by his loving wife of 62 years, Janet Eileen (Mostoller) Conner, son, Steve of Edgewood, NM daughter, Linda Smithhisler and her husband, Mark and son Galen, from Dallas TX and Ralph's younger brother, Glenn from Omaha, NE, as well as numerous cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws scattered throughout the country.
Final interment will take place at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA, later this year.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made in his name to Wreaths Across America and to Flags for Fallen Vets.
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