Obituary of Ralph Turner Hummel

No visitation Ralph Turner Hummel Ralph Turner Hummel died December 7, 2007 in Olympia, Washington, after a spirited 20-month battle with esophageal cancer. He was 79. Born in McKeesport, PA in 1928, Ralph was raised on a farm in rural western Maryland. Interested in pursuing a career in medicine yet unable to afford higher education, he joined the Navy after high school so he would qualify for the G.I. bill. After serving as a medical corpsman for three years, Ralph entered the University of Maryland for his undergraduate and medical degrees. While completing his M.D., Ralph married Betty Glotfelty, a fellow native of Garrett County, Maryland, whom he first met when they were both thirteen. Ralph completed his medical internship in Dearborn, Michigan, where his son Robert was born, and his psychiatric residency at the Menninger Foundation in Topeka, Kansas, where daughters Elizabeth and Penny were born. In 1961, the family moved to Sedro-Woolley, Washington along with several other Menninger colleagues and their families to work at Northern State Hospital on a NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health)-funded research program. A few years later, Ralph and family moved to Bremerton, Washington, where he co-founded the Olympic Center, Washington’s first community mental health center. In 1969, Ralph and his family moved to Olympia, Washington, where he maintained a private practice in psychiatry until his retirement in 2003. In addition to his private practice, Ralph worked with Lewis County Mental Health Center, Grays Harbor Mental Health Center, Maple Lane School and the Shelton Corrections Center. A major focus at the end of his career was assisting Vietnam veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. His wife, Betty, also a therapist, continues this work. Among the many people who knew him, Ralph was beloved for his unique and irreverent sense of humor, his unshakably positive outlook on life and his abundant musical gifts. Self-taught and proficient in many stringed instruments, including the fiddle, banjo (both five string and tenor), guitar, mandolin and viola, Ralph played bluegrass, folk and Dixieland jazz throughout the years with family, friends and several local bands. His many intellectual interests included philosophy, ancient history, astronomy and progressive politics. An intrepid walker, Ralph could frequently be seen on regular jaunts through the south Capitol neighborhood in Olympia. Survivors include his wife of 53 years, Betty Glotfelty Hummel; his children Robert, Elizabeth and Penny Hummel; siblings, Winifred Fresh, Henry (Ben) Hummel, Almira Kernell and Suez Ann Boyd; sisters-in-law, Dot Quaintance and Helen Englar; and numerous dear friends and relatives. Ralph’s family would like to thank the many physicians, nurses and other caregivers who assisted him in the final chapter of his life, including Dr. Gerald Fay, Dr. Kathleen Wagner, Dr. James Lechner, Dr. Vincent Picozzi and Dr. Dan Labriola. We also want to acknowledge the many friends who surrounded Ralph and our family with love during this journey. Your kind thoughts, notes, prayers, food, visits and other forms of support have been a tremendous blessing and a profound testament to the difference Ralph made in the lives of so many people. A memorial service will be held at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 1:00 p.m. The family suggests that remembrances be sent to the Thurston County Food Bank.