Obituary of Ralph Alloway

Coffeyville - Ralph Hugh Alloway, 88, of Coffeyville passed away Wednesday morning, January 26, 2011, at Jane Phillips Medical Center in Bartlesville, OK. He was born December 23, 1922, at Coffeyville, KS to Hugh and Josephine (Ruttgen) Alloway. Ralph grew up and attended schools in Coffeyville, graduating from Field Kindley High School in 1939. Ralph went on to attend Coffeyville Community College for one year before joining the U.S Army Air Corp in December 1940 with the 127th Field Artillery and served with them until March 1942. While serving in the U.S Army Ralph received pilot's wings of Lt. Commission in May 1943 at Williams Field, Chandler, AZ. Ralph flew in twenty-six combat missions over Europe in B-17 Bombers receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, along with seven other ribbons of citation. Ralph later served as a pilot instructor in B-17's and B-29's and was signal officer at Pratt, KS Air Field and Surplus Property Officer at Great Bend Air Base. On January 2, 1946 he married Dora Deanne Dunn at Pratt, KS. He was a store manager for McCrory, McLellan, and Newberry's in Oklahoma, Arizona, Oregon, California and Texas spanning 40 years. In 1986 they moved back to Coffeyville for retirement. Ralph was ordained a Deacon in 1954, in Duncan, OK and served in churches everywhere he moved, including First Southern Baptist Church in Coffeyville. Memberships also included 384th Bomb Group Association, Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, National Geographic Society, AARP, Gideon's International, and had been a member of the Lion's Club. Ralph's interests included traveling, History, Geography and working with senior citizens. Survivors include wife, Dora "Deannie" Alloway of Coffeyville KS, two daughters, Rhonda Barr of Glendale, AZ and Janis Mathers of Bartlesville, OK, two grandchildren, Ronald Barr of Scottsdale, AZ and Hope Mathers of Costa Mesa CA , and two great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister and two brothers. He is survived by one brother, Harold Jay Alloway of Wichita, KS. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, January 31, 2011 at the First Southern Baptist Church in Coffeyville, with Pastor James "Budg" Riekeman and Pastor Stephen Heslip officiating. Burial will be in Restlawn Memorial Cemetery in Coffeyville, with Military Honors conducted by the U.S. Army Honor Guard, Fort Riley, KS. Friends may call on Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p. m. at the David W. Barnes Funeral Home in Coffeyville. Family will receive friends on Sunday from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Family suggests memorials to First Southern Baptist Church and Gideon's International; Contributions may be left with the funeral home or mailed c/o David W. Barnes Funeral Home, 306 North Cline Road, Coffeyville Ks, 67337. Tagged as: First Southern Baptist Church, Gideon's International, Restlawn Memorial Park