Ralph W. Livengood

Ralph W. Livengood
Class of 1961
Published in The Tribune Star on 10/12/2009

Ralph W. Livengood, 66, of Terre Haute, passed away at 12:35 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, in his residence, after an 18-month battle with leukemia. He was a lifetime farmer and retired science teacher of 40 years for the Holy Cross Abbey in Canyon City, Colo., and Vigo County School Corporation. He was born on June 22, 1943, to Wayne Frazier Livengood and Mary Ellen Utterback Livengood. He was married to Nancy Julie Alexander, on Oct. 21, 1970, at Bethany United Church of Christ in West Terre Haute.  Survivors include his wife; and daughters, Martha Michelle Goodwin and husband Pat and Misty Marie Horsley. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Caroline Goodwin, Max Goodwin, Ellie Goodwin, Sylvia Goodwin and Dillon Horsley; nephew, Scott Livengood; niece, Sherri Livengood Biel and family; and lifetime best friend, Kent Flora of Illinois. He was preceded in death by his parents; and brother, John Livengood.He was a 1961 graduate of Fontanet High School and a 1965 graduate of Purdue University, where he was a member of Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity and an alumni association life member. He served as an officer in various national, state and county education associations including the Vigo County Teacher's Association and the Indiana Retired Teacher's Association. He was also recognized as a Vigo County Teacher of the Year in 1989, and a finalist at the state level. He received the WTHI-TV Golden Apple Award for teaching in 1992, and was awarded a Terre Award for volunteerism in the Wabash Valley.He was active in 4-H as a 10-year member and continued service as a Vigo County Purdue Extension Board president, Vigo County Fair Board Director and life member, and Vigo County Fair Sheep superintendent. He served in the U.S. Army from 1967 to 1969 and was a current member of Bethany United Church of Christ in West Terre Haute.His interests included hobby farming his Katahdin sheep herd, woodworking and house building, having restored an authentic 1830's log cabin as his retirement home. He deeply enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and other young people teaching them farm and life skills. He will be greatly missed by his family, fellow teachers, farm friends and "coffee buddies" with whom he spent many mornings during his short retirement. Funeral services are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, at Mattox-Wood Funeral, 4660 N. Lafayette Ave., in North Terre Haute, with Pastor Steve Moore officiating. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. today, and 10 a.m. on Tuesday preceding services. Burial is at Roselawn Memorial Park in Terre Haute. For those who wish, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Purdue Cooperative Extension Service, 275 Ohio St., Terre Haute, IN 47807, where a 4-H scholarship will be established in his name.