Ralph D. Thorne

Funeral Services will be at Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home, Walters, Thursday, December 28, 2023 at 2:00 p.m., Phillip Hart officiating, with interment in the Walters Cemetery.
 
Ralph Dewayne Thorne was born to William Ernest and Pruda (Dunn) Thorne on April 13, 1931 in Madill, OK and departed this life in Duncan, OK on December 24, 2023 at the age of 92 years, 8 months and 11 days.
 
Coming from Madill at an early age, Ralph grew up in Walters, OK, graduating from WHS in 1950. He married Sammie Lee Glidewell on March 11, 1950 in Henrietta, TX, witnessed by Johnny Parrish, Lavena Paton, Barbara Houston, and Gale Burton.  To this union 4 children were born, Carolyn, Sherri, Leslie, and David. The couple made their home in Walters and Ralph worked at the Walters Lumber Yard and then did carpentry work with Don and Vern Thompson. At the age of 19 he began a 31-year career with the Sunray Refinery which later became Tosco and then Omega. Since 1983 he has stayed busy working on houses, taking care of his lawns and doing anything he could do to help his neighbors in need. 
 
Ralph was a member of First Baptist Church. He served 9 years on the Walters City Council and also served on the board of ASCOG. He was happiest when working and staying constructive. He and Sammie enjoyed traveling east in the fall and west in summer to Colorado, Nevada, Utah and California. He enjoyed reading and loved studying the atlas. Ralph enjoyed taking the road less traveled.
 
He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Carolyn Murphy; 2 sons-in-law, Mack Murphy and Steve Anderson; a sister, Dorothy Milwood; and 4 brothers, William, Donald, Milton, and Max Thorne. 
 
Survivors include his wife of 73 years, Sammie Thorne; 2 daughters, Sherri Flanagan and Mike of Walters, OK, and Leslie Anderson of Lawton, OK; a son, David Thorne of Walters, OK; 6 grandchildren, Jennifer Roye of Wylie, TX, Gina McKay and Darrin of Walters, OK, Erin Collier of Midwest City, OK, Paula Crossland and Michael of Grandfield, OK, Brian Murphy of San Francisco, CA, and Evan Flanagan and Nicole of Inola, OK; 14 great grandchildren; 4 great-great grands and 1 on the way; a niece, Sharon Dickinson and Larry of San Rafael, CA; a nephew, Paul Milwood and Deborah of Whitehouse, TX; and other relatives and friends.
 
Donations in memory of Ralph may be made to the Walters Cemetery Association, P.O. Box 485, Walters, OK 73572.