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Ray Haymond Ricketts / Ruth Matella Beasley
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Ray Haymond Ricketts / Ruth Matella Beasley
| Husband: Ray Haymond Ricketts | |||
| Born: | 26 Jan 1886[515] | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Married: | 9 Apr 1913 | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Died: | 8 Jul 1967[516] | at: | Bloomington, McLean, Illinois, USA |
| Father: | James Ricketts | ||
| Mother: | Martha C. Devore | ||
| Notes: | [517] | ||
| Wife: Ruth Matella Beasley | |||
| Born: | 17 Oct 1891[81] [82] | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Died: | 27 Dec 1984 | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Father: | Luther Sanford Beasley | ||
| Mother: | Ruth Matella Claggett | ||
| Notes: | [83] | ||
| Children | |||
| Name: | Raymond Harold Ricketts [220] | ||
| Born: | 30 Aug 1915 | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Married: | at: | ||
| Died: | 11 Jul 1989 | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Spouses: | Mary Ruth Phipps | ||
| Name: | Edwin Felix Ricketts [221] | ||
| Born: | 18 Nov 1916 | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Married: | at: | ||
| Died: | 9 Feb 1984 | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Spouses: | Charlotte Jackson , Catherine Kay Boyland | ||
| Name: | Myron Keith Ricketts [224] [223] | ||
| Born: | 4 Jul 1924 | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Died: | 22 Jul 1945[223] | at: | Strobl, Salzburg, Austria |
| Spouses: | |||
| Name: | Carol Louise Ricketts [222] | ||
| Born: | 8 Nov 1925 | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Married: | at: | ||
| Died: | 2 Mar 1997 | at: | Lexington, McLean, Illinois, United States |
| Spouses: | Lloyd John Biddle | ||
Pedigree Chart for: Ray Haymond Ricketts
/--
/--Andrew Ricketts
| \--
/--James Ricketts
| | /--
| \--Eliza Kane
| \--
|--Ray Haymond Ricketts
| /--
| /--Isaac Devore
| | \--
\--Martha C. Devore
| /--
\--Mariah Smith
\--
Pedigree Chart for: Ruth Matella Beasley
/--
/--Thomas Wesley Beasley
| \--
/--Luther Sanford Beasley
| | /--Samuel Claggett III
| \--Ann Elizabeth Claggett
| \--Julia Frances Sanford
|--Ruth Matella Beasley
| /--Samuel Claggett III
| /--James Augustine Claggett
| | \--Lucy Sanford
\--Ruth Matella Claggett
| /--Samuel Claggett III
\--Catherine Johnson
\--Catherine Norris
[517] Ray worked as a carpenter and a mason for the railroad and in town much of his early life until he was asked to take over the family farm. Mary Ruth used to say, "I never agreed to marry a farmer." Ray was the last member of the family to work the family farm, first turned under plow in 1867. The family owned 300 acres of corn and soybean, and Ray leased additional land until he was too old to work the farm. The family land was then leased to others. His granddaughters Margarete (Peggy) and Linda Ricketts, and Peggy, Linda, and Pat Biddle, eventually inherited the farm. Each set of siblings received half of the farm land. They sold their shares of the land to Conny and Randy who the family had contracted to farm the land for many years after Harold and Mary Ruth could not farm it any longer. Harold and Mary Ruth sold the farm house itself to Mike, the son of Conny and Randy. Ray and Ruth's daughter Carol Louise got the house in town and passed that onto her daughters. Carol's daughter Pat (and her daughter Adrianne) came back to live in the house for several years during the 1990s, and in May 2002 Pat sold the house so she could move nearer to her daughter and sisters in Florida. In cleaning the house, she found the original toolbox and tools of her grandfather Ricketts, the master carpenterr, among many other things. The names of many of the tools were unknown, and she spent some time identifying them. Before moving, Pat spent several weeks sorting through the family possessions accumulated over three generations and 60 years in the same house. Ray Ricketts had "brown lung" (from farming, pesticides) etc from years on the tractor without an enclosed cab. He was working on the ladder had a TIA fell off the ladder broke 3 ribs and complications from brown lung it ended up killing him. Got irretractible pnemonia. Obituary: Lifetime Resident Dies July 8 Lexington -- Ray H. Ricketts, 81, died at the Mennonite Hospital on Saturday morning after being a patient there for a week. Mr. Ricketts was a retired farmer. Funeral services were held at the Musselman Funeral Rome on Monday afternoon. Burial was in Lexington Cemetery. He was born in Lexington January 26. 1886, a son of James and Martha Devore Ricketts. He married Ruth Beasley in Lexington, April 9, 1913. He is survived by his wife; two sons, Harold of Lexington and Edwin of Chicago; a daughter, Mrs. Carol Biddle of Peoria. One son, Myron, was killed In World War IL Also surviving are six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren Mr. Ricketts was a member of the Evangelical United Brethren and was a 50-year member of the Masons. He was active in the Farm Bureau and REA. Ray Ricketts Lexington (PNS) - Ray H. Ricketts, 81, a retired farmer, died at 5:30 a.m. Saturday in Mennonite Hospital, Bloomington where he was a patient one week. He was brought to Musselman Funeral Home, Lexington. He was born in Lexington, Jan. 26, 1886, a son of James and Martha Devore Ricketts. He married Ruth Beasley in Lexington April 9, 1913. He is survived by two sons, Harold of Lexington; Edwin of Chicago; a daughter, Mrs. Carol Biddle of Peoria. One sea, Myron was killed in World War II. Also surviving were six grand-children and three great-grandchildren. He was a member of the Evangelical United Brethren Church. He was active in the Farm Bureau and REA.
[83] Obituary: Ruth Ricketts Lexington - Ruth Ricketts, 93, of 209 S. Benson, Lexington, died at 5:30 a.m. yesterday (Dec. 27. 1984) at her home. Her funeral will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Musselman-Moore Funeral Home, Lexington, the Revs. Glen Harms and Lloyd Kiber officiating. Burial will be in Lexington Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home. Mrs. Ricketts was born Oct. 17, 1891, in Lexington, a daughter of Luther and Metella [sic] Claggett Beasley. She married Ray Ricketts on April 9, 1913, in Lexington. He died July 8, 1967. Survirors include a son, Harold Ricketts, RR 1, Lexington; a daughter, Carol Biddle, with whom she made her home; six grand-children; and eight great-grand-children, Two sons, three brothers, and three sisters preceded her in death. She was a member of Evangelical United Methodist Church, Lexington; Daughters of the American Revolution; Gold Star Mothers; Lexington Home Bureau; and Ladies Aid Society and Missionary Society of the church. Mrs. Ricketts was a Sunday school teacher and paid superintendant of the Sunday school department of the church. Memorials may be made to the church. -- Sexton Record, December 28, 1984 ~SSN 318-42-6626
[220] They lived in the garage while the house was being built and moved in the farm house in 1918. Solid walnut wood cut and milled right on the property.
[221] Based on notes compiled by Ruth Matella Beasley. Edwin served his country somewhere in the Pacific in our war with Japan: 332nd Engineering, 91st. gr.
[224] Started out his military career on horseback and got an infection and he had to have a circumcision. Myron K. Ricketts, Technician 5th Class, Troop B, 106th Cavalry Group, 121st Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, U.S. Army "Myron served with honor in our war with Germany, and was accidentally drowned after peace had been declared. His death occurred in Austria. Due to his ability to speak German, he received many important assignments. He was also one of the platoon that served as Guard for the King and Queen of Belgium, who had been in the custody of the German Gestapo. He helped liberate them from the SS." --Raymond Ricketts, personal history. Based in part on notes compiled by Ruth Matella Beasley. Lorraine American Cemetery and Memorial Saint-Avold, Moselle, Lorraine, France U.S. Military Cemetery, ASN 10120854, Originally buried in Plot W, Row 2, Grave 3190; moved in 1949 with beautification project for cemetery to Plot D. Row 38, Grave 25. U.S. Army Serial number 16120854 Particulars Regarding the Death of Myron K. Ricketts From the Lexington Herald The sad facts regarding the death in Austria on July 22 of Corporal Myron K. Ricketts, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs., Ray H. Ricketts of Lexington have been received by the family in three letters from the scene of the tragedy. The letters which were written by the Personnel Officer, the Protestant Chaplain, and a soldier friend of Myron's are as follows: Headquarters 121st CAV RCN SQ (MECZ) APO 403, c/o Postmaster, New York, New York. 28 July, 1945 Mr. Ray H. Ricketts, Lexington, Illinois. Dear Mr. Ricketts Myron and his sister Carol in 1942, before he shipped out to Europe. It is hoped the extreme regret I feel at the loss to our organization of your son Technician Fifth Grade Myron K. Ricketts, 16120854, Troop B, who was drowned in Wolfgang See, near Strobl, Salzburg, Austria, on July 22, 1945, will, in some measure comfort you. Myron and two other soldiers were in a sailboat on the lake which is adjacent to their quarters. As they were approximately 30 yards from the shore, your son dove from the boat to swim to the dock. He called for help and one of the soldiers in the boat, Private Thomas D. Lee, 31088373' Troop B, dove into the water to assist him. Before Private Lee could reach him, your son disappeared from the surface of the water, apparently seized with a cramp. Private Lee continued to dive under the water for him but was unable to locate your son at that time. The body was recovered and identified as your son on July 27, 1945. Technician Fifth Grade Ricketts was courageous and steady in battle, and his thoughts were always for the welfare of his troop. A Protestant Chaplain officiated at the burial. His body lies in a military cemetery. May I express my own personal sympathy in your loss. Sincerely Yours, M. W. Sundquist WOJG, USA Pers. Off. Chaplain's Headquarters 106th Cavalry Group APO 403 USA 6 August, 1945 Mr. Ray H. Ricketts Lexington, Illinois. Dear Mr. Ricketts: Myron Ricketts on the dock of the dock on the Wolfgang See, near Strobl, Salzburg, Austria, shortly before his death. You have been officially notified of the death of your son, T/5 Myron K. Ricketts ASAN 16120854, Troop B, 121st Cav. Rcn Sq (Mecz). Myron with Pvt. Thomas D. Lee and Pvt. John H. Bray were sailing on the Wolfgang See, Austria on Sunday 22 July, 1945. While the boat was about fifty yards from the shore, Myron dived into the water and started to swim toward shore. He was stricken with cramps and before Pvt. Lee could reach him had disappeared under the water. After dragging the lake for two days after the drowning, the body came to the surface about noon of the 27th July. I was asked to identify the body and he was then evacuated to our Corps Cemetery for burial. Memorial services were conducted by me, Saturday 28th July, 1945 at 1000 hours in the troop area. Six men from the troop acted as honorary pallbearer. There is little I can say in the feeble words of man at this time of loss. May I direct you to the Great Comforter of all souls, Our Father in Heaven. May God comfort and bless you always. In His Service, Harold L., Bixler Captain (Capt) Protestant. August 23, 1945 Dear Sir, It's extremely hard for me to write this letter, because I really don't know what to say. I would have written sooner, but I had to wait for a reasonable length of time to pass, so the government could be the first to inform you of the accident. There isn't much that I can say, but I would like to extend my utmost sympathy, and I want you to know that we all thought that he was a swell fellow. Enclosed is a money-order in payment of a debt of fifteen dollars which I borrowed from Myron just prior to the day of the tragedy. Before I close, I again say, I'm terribly sorry, I remain as always. A Friend of His, Joseph Hatzl (Pfc., St. Louis, MO.)
[222] Based on notes compiled by Ruth Matella Beasley.
@1 [515] [S31]
@1 [516] [S143]
@1 [81] [S36]
@1 [82] [S31]
@1 [223] [S86]
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