Ralph R. Faulkner passed from this life December 25, 2002, at the Jefferson County Hospital at the age of fifty-five. He was born January 6, 1947, in Leesville, Louisiana, to Max and Doris Faulkner. He graduated from Elgin High School in Elgin, Oklahoma in 1965. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on July 29, 1965. He served as an electronics technician at numerous naval communications stations and aboard ships, retiring as ETC (SW). He served aboard ship during the Vietnam War. After retirement, he worked briefly for Hughes Aircraft Company as an instructor at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma. He was later employed by the U.S. Postal Service for four years until his physical condition would no longer allow him to perform those duties.

Survivors include: his father, of the home; two sons - Mark of Tulsa, OK, and Max of Elgin; one daughter - Melissa of Tulsa; one sister - Maxine Faulkner of Faxon, OK; one brother - John Riley of Oklahoma City, OK; and six grandchildren. He is also survived by seven very dear and special friends who were caregivers after his return home in October, after a life-changing accident on November 27, 2001 - Betty Roberts, Shirley Younce, Gayla Johnson, Barbara Porterfield, Judy Osborne, Debbie Ramsey, and Gina Fugett.

He is preceded in death by his mother in March of 2002, and one son, Michael, in April of 1990.

Graveside services were held for Mr. Faulkner at 2:00 PM, Saturday, December 28, 2002, in Pecan Cemetery, southwest of Lawton, Oklahoma, with Rev. Jeff Phillips officiating. Burial was in the Pecan Cemetery under the direction of Dudley Funeral Home of Waurika.