Father: Jasper C Leverich
Mother: Mary Zona Bevers Leverich

Ralph was born in Moore, Cleveland Co, IT, the same year Oklahoma became a state, 1907. He was very proud of this fact. Ralph grew up moving back and forth from Moore, OK and Primghar, O'Brian Co, IA. His family finally settled in Primghar till he left home at the age of 16. He was a carpenter and traveled around taking carpentry jobs or other odd jobs as he could find. He would "ride the rails" by hopping on trains.

In July 1934, Ralph and a friend heard there were jobs to be had at Ft. Des Moines, Polk Co, Iowa and they traveled to seek work there. They obtained the jobs and at lunch time, they would cross the street to eat at the Ross Confectionary Cafe. He met a young woman who was taking orders. Two weeks later, on July 22, 1934, he and this young woman, Zelphia Ross, were married.

Ralph decided to move to Muskogee, Oklahoma with his family, which now included two sons, in 1942. He worked as a carpenter for Camp Gruber which was a Japanese Containment Facility during WWII. After the war, he went to work for the Muskogee Air Force Base. In 1947 he moved his family to Oklahoma City, OK, where he worked as a union carpenter till he retired to the home he and Zelphia built themselves in the Sandy Beach Area of Lake Texhoma in 1971. He loved living on the lake. Fishing, boating, and gardening filled his life. He and Zelphia had a close community of friends in this area. He was a member of the Enos Church of Christ.

Ralph died April 26, 1997 in Madill Hospital of an unexpected lung infection, two days before his 90th birthday. He had been so looking forward to this birthday, with his family coming to celebrate with him.

On his birthday, his family celebrated his life, all loving this kind, gruff, man, who had a heart of gold.
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Daily Oklahoman, The (Oklahoma City, OK) - April 29, 1997

Deceased Name: Ralph Leverich

LEVERICH Ralph, 90, of Enos, Ok, died April 25, 1997, at Madill, Ok. He was born April 28, 1907 at Moore, I.T. Ralph was a retired carpenter and had been a member of the Church of Christ since 1934. He had suffered from pneumonia for several months.

Survivors include his wife, Zelphia, of the home; sons, Donald Lee and Larry Joe Leverich, both of Wellston, Ok; 5 granddaughters, 14 great granddaughters and 1 great-great grandson. Ralph will be missed by friends and relatives. Funeral service 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 29, from the Enos, Ok. Baptist Church.

Interment in Resthaven Cemetery, OKC, at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, under the direction of Watts Funeral Home, Madill, Ok. Copyright (c) 1997 Oklahoma Publishing Company