Ralph Leon Hegwald

Ralph Leon Hegwald, aged 77, of Chanute, Kansas, finally made it to the “good stuff” he knew was waiting for him on Monday, August 15th, 2022. Just as it was in our physical world, surely, he is yet to meet a stranger in Heaven, and Jesus is no exception – he is likely to be riding his motorcycle alongside our Lord, who he knew and loved so very much.

Ralph was born August 19, 1944, in Rose, Kansas to Jacob and Hazel (Curtis) Hegwald. The youngest of five children, Ralph grew up working the family farm and often spoke of his hard work and the life lessons he learned from his time there. Ralph was a very wise man, but his life lessons were not taught from just the hard work… oh no, his mischief and shenanigans with his childhood friends and relatives was also a great teacher.

Ralph married Arlene “Abby” Abernathy on April 28, 1964. They lived in Yates Center at the time where he worked as a mechanic. By December of that same year, he started a life-long career at H.K. Porter Company, until it was acquired by HBD Industries, Inc. in 1989. After 45 years of dedicated service, Ralph retired from his career at HBD in 2009.
For a short period of time during his employment with HBD, Ralph served in the US Army as a SP5, and was stationed in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he and Abby welcomed their first son, Billy, in February of 1967. After serving from February 15, 1966, to February 15, 1968, they returned to Southeast Kansas, and made their home in Chanute.

By April of 1970, they welcomed their second son, Kyle. Ralph loved his boys and was not shy in sharing his mischief and life lessons with them. You might say one son was the better student of the two, and the other is still learning…

He was preceded in death by -
His parents; Jacob and Hazel.
Brothers; Irvin, Jack, and Jim.
Sister; Nydia Irene.
An infant great-grandson; Maksim Aleksandr.

Ralph is survived by:
His wife of 58 years, Abby Hegwald.
Sons; Billy and Kyle (Lindsay).
Grandchildren; Michael, Andrew (Sara), Christopher, Russel, Tori, Hallie, Parker, and Devlin.
Great-Grandchildren; Shaylinn, Maddisen, Mallery, Kamryn, Zein, and Brenden, Megan, and Allie.
One brother, Jake Hegwald, and wife, Ava.
Numerous nieces, nephews, and so many others that knew Ralph from his infectious personality and outlandish storytelling of his youth, his family, the Bible, and of course, the Meteorite.

Cremation has taken place in care of Wickham Family Funeral Home in Chanute, and there are no services at this time.