Ralph Schoof was the third child born to Karl and Lora Schoof in Hebron, Nebraska on February 15, 1925. As the roaring 20’s turned into Great Depression, farms in Nebraska turned to dust. After finishing up parochial school at the age of 13, Ralph was out working full time.
In 1939, the family bought a new Ford for $895, packed up everything they owned and headed for Oregon. At the time, Ralph wondered how “75 horses” could possibly fit under the hood.
In 1940, the entire family went to work at Wells-Lamont glove factory in Carlton, OR. The family of four was bringing home $65 a week, all of which was needed to meet family needs. Later that same year, they bought a two-bedroom house north of McMinnville on five acres for $1,500 cash.
Until the outbreak of World War II where Ralph served in the Navy in the Pacific, Ralph lived with his parents and surrendered all of his income to the family for room and board. Ralph’s first paycheck was his Navy stipend of $23 a month. After many battles in the Pacific, he was honorably discharged with $605 in his pocket. An enormous amount of money to him.
Ralph was preceded in death by all of his siblings; older brother, Vernon Schoof, older sister, Laverna Gutbrod, and younger brother, Peter Schoof.
He is survived by his wife, Verna Schoof; a son, David Schoof, of Palo Alto, CA; a daughter, Terri Lanser, of Modesto, CA; as well as many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Ralph’s father (Karl) was a founding member of St. John’s Lutheran Church where Ralph was a member for 80 years. Ralph was proud of the fact that he was able to retire at the age of 49 to become a gentleman farmer. He was well known as an avid big game hunter and operated a duck hunting club near Carlton, OR for 35 years. He was able to tell hunting and fishing stories all day without embellishment.