So long, Ralph Hood

I'm sorry to read that another old friend has died.  Ralph Hood died Monday, June 12, 2017.  I knew him, his late brother Jimmy and his sister Betty.  I used to see Betty at the Bell Reunions.

If anybody had any claim or deserve- ability to attend the Bell Reunion it would be the Hood family.  Their father was the maintenance caretaker of Larry Bell Park.  I think it was a 24 hour, 7 day week job because they were the only people that actually resided on Larry Bell Park grounds.

I remember Ralph well in the the 8th grade.  He came from Park Street and I came from Waterman Street.  Hood and Hunter, we were alphabetized to be student neighbors in many classes.  We had similar taste, I think we both thought we were there to play, not to study.  To me, he resembled the young Jerry Lewis back then.

The last time I saw Ralph at Orville Carruth's funeral, another friend in the 8th grade who was  also there to play.

Ralph's sister Betty

His obituary from the Marietta Daily Journal:

Ralph E. Hood, 76, of Smyrna passed away on Monday, June 12, 2017. A Funeral Service will be held Thursday at 11:00 a.m. in the Chapel of Mayes Ward-Dobbins Funeral Home in Marietta with Rev. Bobby Moore officiating. Interment will take place at Mountain View Park Cemetery in Marietta. Ralph is preceded in death by his wife, Linda Hood and brother, Jimmy. He is survived by his son, Gary Hood of Smyrna; sister, Betty of Mableton; brothers, Johnny of Rockmart and Dennis of Dallas. The family will receive friends on Wednesday from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. and 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home. 770-428-1511 www.mayeswarddobbins.com