ORONO – Ralph Gibbs Whedon Jr. died peacefully Oct. 21, 2011, surrounded by his family at an Orono health care facility. He was born May 7, 1918, in Elizabeth, N.J., son of Ralph Gibbs Whedon Sr. and Viola Irwin Whedon, all former parishioners of Christ Episcopal Church.
Ralph was educated in Elizabeth, N.J., public schools and was a graduate of the University of Maine, Orono. He was an employee of International Harvester Co. for 35 years. Ralph was a veteran of World War II, serving in the 7th Air Force of the Army Air Corps, Pacific Ocean Area.
His beloved wife of 55 years, Jane MacMaster Whedon, R.N., predeceased him in 2003. He is survived by four children, 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren: son, Ralph III and his wife, Lorna, of Stillwater, granddaughter, Deborah Jane and her husband, Manuel Fernandez, and their children, Thomas, Julian and Lucas, of Paris, grandson, David and his wife, Joey, and their children, Aria and Arbor, of Corvallis, Ore.; son, Dr. James and his wife, Nancy, and their son, Ian, of Grantham, N.H., granddaughter, Sarah, her daughter, Bridget, and partner, John Kraemer, and granddaughter, Mehera and her husband, Allen Bey, of Los Angeles; daughter, Katherine Molloy with grandsons, Robinson Marks, teaching in Taiwan, and Patrick and Conall in Orono; and daughter, Mary Whedon of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., and grandsons, Dominic and Anthony Lo Galbo. Ralph is also survived by his brother, Charles; and sister, Viola, both of New Jersey. He also leaves numerous loving nephews and nieces. The family expresses their deep gratitude to the staff at Orono Commons for their compassionate care of both Ralph and Jane.
A Requiem will be held 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23, at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 225 French St., Bangor. A reception will be after at the family home, 15 South Spring St., Stillwater. Interment will be Monday morning at Riverside Cemetery, Orono. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Jane and Ralph Whedon Memorial Fund at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Bangor.