Ralph Franklin Connolly
October 17, 1929 ~ November 22, 2020
Ralph Franklin Connolly passed in peace on 22 November 2020. Ralph was born in Ames, Iowa on 17 October 1929, the 4th of 6 children born to Howard Thomas and Katherine May (Ball) Connolly. He attended public schools in Ames until the age of 16 when he moved to Oakland, California with his family when his father was engaged in industrial plumbing for the war effort during World War II. Ralph attended University High School in Oakland, where he lettered in football, later graduating from Technical High School in Oakland in 1947.
Ralph enlisted in the Army in 1948 attending basic training at Fort Ord, California. He served 22 and ½ years in a small, elite unit called the Army Security Agency (ASA) headquartered at Arlington Hall, Station in Arlington, VA. This agency no longer exists having been renamed The Intelligence Security Command (INSCOM) based at Ft. Belvoir, VA. As an enlisted man Ralph served at Arlington Hall and at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. He then came to Camp Wood, New Jersey to attend Signal Corps Officer Candidate School. It was there that he met Constance Ann Needham, a WAC Cryptographic Technician employed at Ft. Monmouth which bordered Camp Wood. Ralph graduated from Signal Corps OCS, a brand-new 2nd Lt. on May 6, 1952 and he and Constance (Connie) were married on May 9, 1952 at the Post Chapel on Ft. Monmouth. Thus, began a loving partnership which was to last for 68 and ½ years, through some sadness and bumps in the road but all in all a grand and joyous adventure. Four sons and a daughter were born, and the family spent tours in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Germany, California, New York, Virginia, Hawaii and Arizona, with Ralph spending one unaccompanied tour in Turkey. During these years, the family experienced one great sadness, the death of their second son, Timothy John of viral meningitis at the age of three, in 1957. Ralph retired from the Army in 1970 completing a successful military career, receiving 3 commendations for his work in Turkey, Hawaii and Arizona.
After retiring Ralph moved the family to Omaha, Nebraska to complete his education. The University of Nebraska at Omaha offered one year of College credit for military service and with credits he had earned by going nights and weekends whenever time permitted throughout his military career He Was able to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies and a Master’s Degree in City Management in 2 and ½ years. After graduation Ralph was offered a position with Computer Science Corporation working on a government contract with Offutt Air Force Base later transferring to the CSC home base in Falls Church, VA. This began his second career as a contractor working on various systems engineering projects with the government for ARINC, IBM and others, retiring for the second time from SPC (System Planning Corporation) in 1990.
In the third phase of his life Ralph began his Masonic career. Ralph had always been interested in Masonry. His Great Grandfather, Grandfather and Uncle were Masons. He began by joining Schofield Lodge in Wahiawa, Hawaii in 1967. After a hiatus while retiring and attending college he sought to become active in Masonry again. He was fortunate at that time to meet Bill Edwards an active DC Mason and Eastern Star Member. As a result, he joined Anacostia Lodge and Federal Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, both the Scottish and York rite Masonic bodies and Almas Shriners, all in DC. Ralph was at one time also a member of The Royal Order of Scotland, Kallipolis Grotto and The Tall Cedars of Lebanon. Ralph was highly active in all these bodies becoming a 33rd Degree Mason in the mid 1990’s. Ralph earned a plaque on the wall at the Philadelphia Shrine Hospital for Children for completing more than 50 trips transporting children to the hospital for their appointments. This was volunteer work he loved. Ralph served as Master of Anacostia Lodge in 1995, as Worthy Patron of Federal Chapter, No. 38 in 1998 and Potentate of Almas Shriners in 1999 He was appointed to the Board of Governors of the Shrine Hospital for Children in Philadelphia in the year 2000 serving for the next 13 years. Ralph served as Worthy Grand Patron of the Eastern Star in DC in 2007 with Worthy Grand Matron Sister Jane Frances Grolig. Ralph also had the honor of being invited to join the Red Cross of Constantine and serving as Head of St. Simeon Stylites in DC in 2018. Ralph was no longer able to take an active part because of his heath but at the time of his death he was still an Emeritus Member of the Board of the Philadelphia Shrine Hospital and was the holder of a Worthy Grand Appointment to the Cancer Committee for this Triennium for the Order of the Eastern Star.
In addition to his wife Connie, Ralph is survived by his children Kevin Connolly of Colorado Springs, CO and Yona of Denver, CO, Barry and Linda Connolly of Vienna, VA, Mark and Priscilla Connolly of Woodbridge, VA and Mary Connolly Overton and Ken of Daleville, AL; his grandchildren Diana, Sean, Barry, Jr., Troy and Brent Connolly and Michelle Connolly Walker and Dajon; a great-grandchild, Gabriel Walker; his Sister Janet Connolly Volpe of Pacheco, CA; Sisters-in-law Nancy Finkle of Red Hook, NY and Sandra Pearson of Kingston, NY and many nephews and nieces in California, Oregon, Nebraska, Iowa and New York. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Money and King Funeral Home in Vienna, VA. There will be no funeral because of COVID-19 but a memorial service is planned for a later date, probably in the spring. After the memorial, Ralph’s ashes will rest in the Presidio National Cemetery in San Francisco, CA where his son Timothy, who died in 1957 is buried. A copy of this obituary will be available on the Money and King web site.
Ralph will be remembered for his Irish wit and humor; his tenacity; his love for the children in the Shrine hospitals, to his mind, the best charity on earth; for his honesty, generous spirit and sense of duty.; and his desire to lead. He loved his family, his country, and his God. May he rest in peace.
In the words of the bugle call for TAPS:
Day is done, Gone the sun,
From the lake, From the hill, From the sky.
All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.
Ralph enlisted in the Army in 1948 attending basic training at Fort Ord, California. He served 22 and ½ years in a small, elite unit called the Army Security Agency (ASA) headquartered at Arlington Hall, Station in Arlington, VA. This agency no longer exists having been renamed The Intelligence Security Command (INSCOM) based at Ft. Belvoir, VA. As an enlisted man Ralph served at Arlington Hall and at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. He then came to Camp Wood, New Jersey to attend Signal Corps Officer Candidate School. It was there that he met Constance Ann Needham, a WAC Cryptographic Technician employed at Ft. Monmouth which bordered Camp Wood. Ralph graduated from Signal Corps OCS, a brand-new 2nd Lt. on May 6, 1952 and he and Constance (Connie) were married on May 9, 1952 at the Post Chapel on Ft. Monmouth. Thus, began a loving partnership which was to last for 68 and ½ years, through some sadness and bumps in the road but all in all a grand and joyous adventure. Four sons and a daughter were born, and the family spent tours in Massachusetts, North Carolina, Germany, California, New York, Virginia, Hawaii and Arizona, with Ralph spending one unaccompanied tour in Turkey. During these years, the family experienced one great sadness, the death of their second son, Timothy John of viral meningitis at the age of three, in 1957. Ralph retired from the Army in 1970 completing a successful military career, receiving 3 commendations for his work in Turkey, Hawaii and Arizona.
After retiring Ralph moved the family to Omaha, Nebraska to complete his education. The University of Nebraska at Omaha offered one year of College credit for military service and with credits he had earned by going nights and weekends whenever time permitted throughout his military career He Was able to earn a Bachelor’s Degree in General Studies and a Master’s Degree in City Management in 2 and ½ years. After graduation Ralph was offered a position with Computer Science Corporation working on a government contract with Offutt Air Force Base later transferring to the CSC home base in Falls Church, VA. This began his second career as a contractor working on various systems engineering projects with the government for ARINC, IBM and others, retiring for the second time from SPC (System Planning Corporation) in 1990.
In the third phase of his life Ralph began his Masonic career. Ralph had always been interested in Masonry. His Great Grandfather, Grandfather and Uncle were Masons. He began by joining Schofield Lodge in Wahiawa, Hawaii in 1967. After a hiatus while retiring and attending college he sought to become active in Masonry again. He was fortunate at that time to meet Bill Edwards an active DC Mason and Eastern Star Member. As a result, he joined Anacostia Lodge and Federal Chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, both the Scottish and York rite Masonic bodies and Almas Shriners, all in DC. Ralph was at one time also a member of The Royal Order of Scotland, Kallipolis Grotto and The Tall Cedars of Lebanon. Ralph was highly active in all these bodies becoming a 33rd Degree Mason in the mid 1990’s. Ralph earned a plaque on the wall at the Philadelphia Shrine Hospital for Children for completing more than 50 trips transporting children to the hospital for their appointments. This was volunteer work he loved. Ralph served as Master of Anacostia Lodge in 1995, as Worthy Patron of Federal Chapter, No. 38 in 1998 and Potentate of Almas Shriners in 1999 He was appointed to the Board of Governors of the Shrine Hospital for Children in Philadelphia in the year 2000 serving for the next 13 years. Ralph served as Worthy Grand Patron of the Eastern Star in DC in 2007 with Worthy Grand Matron Sister Jane Frances Grolig. Ralph also had the honor of being invited to join the Red Cross of Constantine and serving as Head of St. Simeon Stylites in DC in 2018. Ralph was no longer able to take an active part because of his heath but at the time of his death he was still an Emeritus Member of the Board of the Philadelphia Shrine Hospital and was the holder of a Worthy Grand Appointment to the Cancer Committee for this Triennium for the Order of the Eastern Star.
In addition to his wife Connie, Ralph is survived by his children Kevin Connolly of Colorado Springs, CO and Yona of Denver, CO, Barry and Linda Connolly of Vienna, VA, Mark and Priscilla Connolly of Woodbridge, VA and Mary Connolly Overton and Ken of Daleville, AL; his grandchildren Diana, Sean, Barry, Jr., Troy and Brent Connolly and Michelle Connolly Walker and Dajon; a great-grandchild, Gabriel Walker; his Sister Janet Connolly Volpe of Pacheco, CA; Sisters-in-law Nancy Finkle of Red Hook, NY and Sandra Pearson of Kingston, NY and many nephews and nieces in California, Oregon, Nebraska, Iowa and New York. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Money and King Funeral Home in Vienna, VA. There will be no funeral because of COVID-19 but a memorial service is planned for a later date, probably in the spring. After the memorial, Ralph’s ashes will rest in the Presidio National Cemetery in San Francisco, CA where his son Timothy, who died in 1957 is buried. A copy of this obituary will be available on the Money and King web site.
Ralph will be remembered for his Irish wit and humor; his tenacity; his love for the children in the Shrine hospitals, to his mind, the best charity on earth; for his honesty, generous spirit and sense of duty.; and his desire to lead. He loved his family, his country, and his God. May he rest in peace.
In the words of the bugle call for TAPS:
Day is done, Gone the sun,
From the lake, From the hill, From the sky.
All is well, Safely rest, God is nigh.
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