Ralph Robert Beckett died suddenly Saturday evening, April 14, 2007, at the age of 46, of a heart attack at home with his family on South Kanawha Street, Beckley. He was the son of Joan Maples Beckett and Ralph L. Beckett and brother of Rebecca Beckett Clay. He was born Jan. 5, 1961, in Phoenix, Arizona. Preceding him in death were his grandparents, Robert and Evalene Maples and Robert and Generva Beckett. He is survived by his parents, Ralph and Joan; his sister, Rebecca; his niece and nephew, Sydney and Tyler; numerous cousins throughout the U.S. and China, and many friends throughout the years. His family roots were from Tennessee, Virginia, Kentucky and Indiana with families associated with automobiles, timber, engineering, coal mining and teaching. His last years were spent in Beckley at his childhood home on S. Kanawha St. This was the same home his great-grandfather and family (John and Addie Jane Bair Maples) built in 1915. Ralph required hemodialysis three times a week for 19 years due to a rare genetic abnormality of his kidneys. The Raleigh Dialysis Center, the doctors and staff there, plus the staff of Raleigh General Hospital, were his extended family and friends. Ralph was educated in the public schools of W.Va. He attended Lincoln Elementary, Stratton Jr. High and was a 1979 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School, where he loved to run cross country. His college career included Concord College, Beckley College, a BS in Aviation Management from Florida Institute of Technology at Melbourne, Fla., and a Masters of Aeronautical Science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, Fla. He was a member of Alpha Eta Rho International Aviation Fraternity and a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). While in college, through the ROTC, he went through the 44th Company Airborne training at Ft. Benning, Ga., and we imagine him now continuing the sky diving he loved so much. He was an Eagle Scout, Troop 1452 and had many fond memories of scouting and jamborees. During his college years, he worked at Vecellio and Grogan in the shop. After college, he was employed with BizJet, West Palm Beach, Fla., and self-employed on his return to W.Va. He had several keen interests: planes (both flying them and jumping out of them), automobiles, scuba diving and buying and selling (especially on Ebay). He had great memories of his travels through California, Canada and the east coast. He often said the only two things he didn’t get to do were: one, have a family; and two, have a career, where he made a lot of money to buy more toys. Ralph’s gift to all was his amazing ability to communicate with anyone and quickly have them laughing so hard that their jaws ached. He was able to rise above any situation and bring such humor and laughter that it physically changed the world around him. That power inspired each and every person he encountered and left a memory and strength beyond value. Ralph was a Christian and his family and friends rejoice in his joining the presence of God. We imagine him running in fields with his Creator as he had dreamed. Graveside service will be 3 p.m. Saturday, April 21, 2007, in the Sunset Memorial Park Mausoleum on Harper Road, with the Rev. Tom Lilly and David Fondale officiating. Visitation will be 1 to 3 p.m. prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the charity of your choice or to the Beckley Area Foundation, WWHS Class of ’79. There will be a Celebration of Life service in the gardens of the family home sometime in June 2007. Pallbearers will be Mike Rizzi, Jay Adam, Martin Njoku, George Underwood, Alex Walls and Calvin Crowe. Honorary pallbearers will be Commodore Andy Pachuta, Major David Walker, ret., Capt. Steve Tanner, Capt. Steven Pachuta, Mike Fairlie and Andy Footo. Online guest book is available at www.calfeefh.com Arrangements by Calfee Funeral Home, Beckley