Ralph Bezner

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS — Ralph Bezner, a resident of North Richland Hills, passed away at 1:43 a.m., June 15, 2010.

Ralph was born to John and Augusta Bezner on Jan. 30, 1923 in Lindsay. Ralph was the seventh of nine children. He graduated from Gainesville High School in 1941. He joined the Army Air Corps out of high school with hopes of becoming a pilot, but his service was cut short when he contracted rheumatic fever. Ralph married Nora Jane House from Era in 1945. He attended LeTourneau College in Longview, and then was a Texas highway patrolman for several years. During this time he was talked into operating a large chicken farm in Burleson by his brothers, Herbie and Rufie, and “never made a dime.” He then worked in Fort Worth for the Interstate Commerce Commission which later became the Federal Department of Transportation. He retired in 1975 at the age of 52 and opened a used car lot in North Richland Hills and operated this business for 35 years until his death. He was a member of Lake Country Golf Club for 28 years and played golf five days a week most of this time. He was a member of St. John the Apostle Catholic Church in North Richland Hills for 45 years.

He is survived by his wife, Nora Jane; his sister, Mary Louise Duffy of Tulsa, Okla.; children, John, Stephen, Russell, Leanne, Lori and Gary; grandchildren, Zack, Heather, Jeff, Sara, Janet, Casey and Seth and great-grandchildren, Ava, Dax, Deacon, Kobe, Addison and Kaden.

Funeral arrangements are by Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home of Gainesville. Visitation will be at Geo. J. Carroll & Son Funeral Home this evening at 7 p.m.

The funeral will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at St. John the Apostle in North Richland Hills. Burial will be at 5 p.m. at the Lindsay Cemetery in Lindsay.