Ralph Edward Speece

Obituary of Ralph Edward Speece

August 28, 1955 – December 24, 2024

Ralph Edward Speece was born on August 28, 1955 in Parkersburg, WV. He was born to the late Ralph Grove & the second of five children, born to the late Ruth Dobbins, who later married Robert Speece. During childhood Ralph lived on a farm & attended Elementary School in Fairplains, WV & Cairo, WV. When Ralph was 7 years old, he & his sister, Ada Riblett, was adopted by Harle & Mami Sandy, who raised & cared for them as their own. Ralph then attended school in Harrisville, WV, where he graduated in 1975. After Ralph was adopted, his brother & sister, the late Rick Speece & the late Jeannie Speece, was adopted by a 2nd family. His youngest sister, Lena Biles, was adopted by a 3rd family. As one of the oldest, he was always taking care of his siblings, so losing them was terribly hard for him. The love he had for his family & the importance of being together again drove him to spend most of his life searching for them. After many years & by the grace of God, he was finally able to connect & become a part of each of their lives. 

In 1974, Ralph travelled to Oklahoma during his vacation, to visit with his Uncle Jack, Aunt Marie & his cousin Diane. While he was there, Diane introduced him to her best friend, Vickie Bryant. After meeting, things went so well, they all went out on a double date, where they enjoyed a movie & game of putt putt. From that point forward, Ralph knew he had met the love of his life, but he had to return home. The two of them then spent the next year keeping in touch by letter. During that year, work became hard to find in West Virginia, so Vickie suggested he move to Oklahoma, where there were ample job opportunities. A few months after he moved to Oklahoma, Ralph proposed to Vickie & then on November 29, 1975 they were married in Stillwater, OK. During their marriage, they were blessed with almost 46 years together & had 3 beautiful daughters & a wonderful son. 

Ralph was a simple man & enjoyed being outdoors. He loved to hunt deer, rabbit, pheasant & squirrel but more than hunt, he loved to fish. It didn’t matter if he was fishing for Bass, Crappie or Catfish, just as long as he had his pole and boat in the water! He also enjoyed playing horseshoes & cornhole with his family & friends. His favorite restaurant was Cracker Barrel, where he enjoyed their chicken & dumplings the most. 

Growing up, Ralph didn’t have the easiest life, but he was well known for always having a smile on his face. His closest friends called him Ralphie & although he didn’t have a lot of education, anyone that knew him knew he could fix just about anything. When he was a young man, he spent a lot of time on farms breaking horses, losing a thumb & part of a couple fingers doing it. However, in May of 1980, Ralph became a welder by trade & began his welding career working for Tanner Welding in Ralston, OK. 6 years later, Ralph took a position working for Pawnee Tank, where he traveled for the next 7 years building huge oil tanks all over the US. Then in Oct of 1993, Ralph was hired on at Ditch Witch, where he worked until he retired 9 years later. 

One of Ralph’s favorite past times was working with metal, so it was no surprise that after he retired, he became a Blacksmith & was great at it. He was a member of the Oklahoma Blacksmith Organization, Saltfork Craftsman and the Oklahoma Steam Threshing & Gas Engine Association. For many years, at the beginning of May, Ralph would put on a Blacksmith Show for the Steam Engine Show in Pawnee, OK. He also did a show each September, for Pioneer Days in Blackwell, OK. People from all over would come to see Ralph pound iron & buy one of his famous knives. 

Ralph was great at a lot of things, but nothing made him happier or prouder than serving his community as a Pawnee County Reserve Deputy. Ralph became a Reserve Deputy in August 1986. He was one of the 15 Reserve graduates in the first Reserve Academy at Pawnee County, after it was started by Sheriff Leroy Bryant. Ralph then spent the next 26 years patrolling community events & working as a Transport Deputy for Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office under former Sheriffs Leroy Bryant, Roger Price and Mike Waters. However, due to his back issues, he was forced to retire from the County in 2012. 

Ralph loved his family & friends, but nothing compared to his love for God. In 1978, after rededicating his life to God, he became a different man. On the outside, he still appeared tough, but he had a gentle heart & soft spirit. He was never one to cry, but when God touched him, he’d cry so loud the whole world would know. He was part of the Skedee Assembly of God Church for most of his walk with God, where he was active in helping with Royal Rangers & attending their FCF Events. The FCF (Frontier Camping Fellowship) was a part of the Royal Ranger Program with the Assemblies of God, where the men/boys attending would dress as Mountain Men & compete against others in events such as knife throwing, tracking, fire making, flint & steel & black powder. Later in life, he attended Family Worship Center of Pawnee, OK, until his health no longer allowed him. 

Nothing was more important to Ralph than God & his family…and you didn’t have to be blood to be family. He was Papa Ralph to several kids ReBecca babysat & those kids loved him…but not as much as HE loved them! The minute they came to visit, you could see his spirit lift & his face light up with the biggest smile. Ralph adored them & truly enjoyed it when they came by, whether it was sitting & watching tv with him, handing him stuff or hugging on him. It was no mystery that he loved them as well as his wife, kids & grandkids, but more than anything, he was proud of each of them. His face glowed with pride, each time he’d talk about one of them. They were his world. Ralph wasn’t much with words or saying how he felt, but you could see it by how he spent time with them teaching them how to hunt, fish, blacksmith & weld. He was a man that knew hard work & worked hard sacrificing to provide for his family to give them the best life he could. He didn’t always have it easy, but he enjoyed the life he was given & was deeply loved by all those that knew him. 

Ralph peacefully passed from this life at 5:31 am on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2024, in Skedee, OK at the age of 69 years old. He was home with his son, youngest daughter & son-in-law. He was preceded in death by numerous family members including his wife, parents, foster parents & two siblings. He is survived by his sister, Ada, her husband Rick Riblett of Vienna, WV & her two kids. His sister Lena Biles of Parkersburg, WV & her two sons. His daughter Angie & her husband Chris Brumley of Pawnee, OK. His daughter Rachel & her husband Brandon Box of Pawnee, OK. His son Michael Chase Speece of Skedee, OK. His daughter ReBecca & her husband Donald Lewis of Skedee, OK. His 3 grandsons Zac Buchanan, DonTaelynn Lewis, & Dejaquan Lewis & his 2 granddaughters, Shakyla Lewis & Alayah Lewis, all of Skedee, OK. 

Today we gathered to remember & celebrate Ralph & the life he lived, not to mourn his passing. Ralph knew Jesus & was ready to go. Three days before he left, he told Zac, “I can almost see the promise land.” I believe he saw it & I believe he is there now, reunited with his love & all those that have gone on before him. His physical body may no longer be alive with us here on earth, but his spirit is very much alive & he now has a new address in Heaven. Ralph was a great man, a wonderful father, a loving Papa & a terrific brother, & he will forever be cherished & missed by all those he left behind.