Ralph Beckett

Ralph was educated in public schools in West Virgina. He attended Lincloln Elementary, Stratton Junior High and a 1979 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School where he loved to run cross country. His college career included Concord College, a BS in Aviation Management from Florida Institute of Technology at Melbourn, FL. and a Master of Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL. He was a member of Alpha Eta Rho Internation Aviation Fraternity and a member of the Aircraft, Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). While in college through the ROTC, he went through the 44th Company Airborne training at Ft. Benning, GA. He was an Eagle Scott, Troop 1452 and had many fond memories of Scouting and jamborees. During his college career he worked at Vecellio and Grogan in the shop. After college he was employed with BizJet, West Palm Beach FL and self-employeed on his return to WV. He had several keen interest; plane(both flying and jumping out of them), automobiles, scuba diving, and buying and selling(especially on Ebay). He had great memorial of his travels through California, Canada and the east coast. He ofter said the only two thing he didn't get to do were: one hava a family and two have a career where he made a lot of money to buy more toys. Ralph's gift to all was his amazing ability to communicate with anyone and quickly have them laughing so hard that their jaws ached. He was able to rise above any situation and bring such humor and laughter that it physically changed the world arount it. That power inspired each and every person he encountered and left a memory and strength beyond value. Ralph was a Christian and his family and friends rejoice in his joining the presence of god. We imagine him running in fields with his Creator as he had dreamed.