Corsicana Daily Sun
Corsicana —
Ret. US Navy Cmdr. Ralph W. Stell Jr., 88, of Kensington, Md., formerly of Corsicana, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 29, 2011.
He was born in Corsicana, on Sept. 23, 1922. After graduation from high school in 1940, he attended Texas A&M University for one year before receiving an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1945. After graduation in 1944 he was assigned to the U.S.S. Boise (CL-47) and served as Turret Officer. While aboard, the ship participated in the battle of Lingayen Gulf. Later the ship embarked General MacArthur and staff for a tour of the Philippine Islands. Ralph's next assignment was primary flight training at the Naval Air Station (NAS) in Dallas. He received his wings at Pensacola in February of 1947, and was assigned to carrier squadron “Bombing Three” based in Rhode Island and was later aboard the U.S.S. Kearsarge for a Mediterranean cruise. Duty on basic training staff and instrument instructor at Pensacola followed. At the outbreak of the Korean War he and Bob Wood flew a Beechcraft loaded with communications personnel from Pensacola to San Francisco to augment the Pacific Theater staffs. Ralph's next assignment was as Flag Lieutenant to COMFAIR Japan at NAS Atsugi. Upon completion of this duty, he joined Squadron 193 at NAS Moffitt Field, Calif. to train for deployment to West PAC on U.S.S. Oriskany. Al Shepard and Bill Lawrence were squadron mates. Upon return Ralph married Katharine Parker and reported for duty at the Naval Weapons Center in China Lake, Calif. Naval War College, Naval Staff London, and Comm Naval Air Staff Atlantic followed.
After retiring in March of 1965, he worked for Vitro Corp. and Special Warfare Laboratory (organized by USNA classmate Bob Eidson). During his final retirement he was a volunteer for 23 years in the Archives Division of the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. Ralph was a member of Warner Memorial Presbyterian Church of Kensington, Md., for 44 years, where he sang in the choir and served terms as deacon and elder
Survivors include his beloved wife, Kathy; son, Ralph Benjamin Stell and fiancée Julie Stanek; daughters, Elizabeth Stell and husband Bill Matthiesen, and granddaughters Marianna and Rebecca Stell, and Laura Stell and her partner Russell Greco.
A memorial service will be held at 4 p.m. on March 13, 2011, in Kinsington, Md. at Pumphrey Funeral Home. Interment will be at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery, in Annapolis, Md.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be in his honor to Warner Memorial Presbyterian Church, 10123 Connecticut Ave., Kensington, MD 20895, or U.S. Naval Academy Foundation, 25 Maryland Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401.
An online guest book is available at www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com by selecting the Ralph W. Stell Jr. obituary.
Arrangements by Pumphrey Funeral Home.
