Obituary of Ralph Furman

Ralph Allen Furman, 92, of Easton, passed away Sunday, March 7, 2010, at Monongalia General Hospital, after a brief illness, with his daughters at his bedside.Ralph was born in Easton on May 25, 1917, the son of the late Claude Furman and Etta Reppert Furman.He was a graduate of University High School, class of 1935. He joined the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers in February of 1938 as an apprentice to Baker and Coombs. In 1950 he formed a partnership with W. R. St Clair to perform masonry construction under the name of St Clair and Furman. Their works can be found all around the Morgantown area. He was a longtime member of the Bricklayers Union Local 15 WV. After his retirement as a brick mason he took up farming in the Easton area raising Charolais cattle. During WWII he served in the US Army Air Corp attaining the rank of Corporal. He was in the 509th Composite Group and was stationed, among other places, on the island of Tinian in the Marianas. The 509th Composite Group was a completely self sustaining unit that was ultimately responsible for the dropping of the Atomic bombs.He served on the Board of Directors of the Morgantown Southern States and was a Monongalia County Farm Bureau member for over 20 years. He served on the board of directors of the Mt. union Cemetery Association. He is survived by his daughters and their husbands Carol and Hayward Helmick of Morgantown and , Patty and Harold Gray of Easton grandchildren, Edward Helmick and Pamela Yost great-grandchildren, Lee Yost, Evan Yost and Lindsey Eddy. Several nieces and nephews, a host of friends, and his dog âDukeâ also survive.He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Harry Furman. He was also preceded in death by Eileen Martha Straub Furman, his wife of 66 years, who passed away March 30, 2007. Family and friends will be received at Hastings Funeral Home, 153 Spruce Street, Morgantown, Wednesday, March 10 from 4-8 p.m. and Thursday, March 11 from 9:30 a.m to 10:30a.m. Funeral services will be held in the funeral home at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Craig Falkenstine officiating. Burial will follow in Mt. Union Cemetery. Military honors will be provided by the V. F.W. Post 548 and WVANG Military Honors, Camp Dawson, Kingwood WV at the cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Ralphâs memory to the Mt. Union Cemetery Association, 3006 Pt. Marion Road, Morgantown, WV 26505.