HEMINGTON RALPH W

WO1 Ralph W. Hemington was a VHPA member who died after his tour in Vietnam on 12/26/2017 at the age of 70.9
Las Vegas, NV
Flight Classes 68-23 and 68-41
Date of Birth 02/17/1947
Served in the U.S. Army
Served in Vietnam with B/227 AVN 1 CAV in 69-70
Call sign in Vietnam MASHER 32
This information was provided by Sammie Williams-Obit

More detail on this person: Ralph Wilson Hemington Jr. passed away the day after Christmas, December 26, 2017, after an unexpected three-week bout with complications from cancer. He was born February 1947, in Henderson, to Alene and Ralph W. Hemington MD, of Pennsylvania. Ralph Jr. attended West Charleston Elementary, Hyde Park Juniorr High, Western High School class of 1965 and UNLV class of 1977. A competitive swimmer, he held the back stroke record. He missed Olympic qualification by one turn, said his team mate Mike Casey. He went to Arizona University on scholarship until interrupted by Vietnam. Ralph served in combat as a 1st Cavalry Division Airmobile helicopter pilot. Before deployment, in 1968, he married high school sweetheart, Georgi. They were married until 1982. Their children are Ralph III and Trina. Returning from Vietnam, Ralph joined the Las Vegas Police Department-Clark County Sheriff's Department in 1973, advancing to detective with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Sergeant Ralph retired from Metro in 2000 and continued civilian work for Metro for many years locating convicted offenders worldwide. In April 1989, Ralph married Metro CSI Debra McCracken. "Senior" officers will remember Ralph and Debbie hosting New Year's Eve steak and lobster feasts in their historic backyard for fellow officers throughout the night. They enjoyed raising grandchildren, Taylor and Ashton. The Las Vegas based Television show, CSI, was patterned after Debbie and Ralph. They were consultants to the show for many years. Sadly, in 2011, Debbie died of cancer. Throughout his life, Ralph enjoyed golf regularly with close friends at the Las Vegas Country Club and weekly social poker with close friends. Regularly, Ralph was chaperone to "The Poker Guys"; in his RV attending NHRA Drag races. Quoting sister, Carol, "Ralph was straight arrow. Honest, responsible and always wanted to do the right thing". Ralph is survived by his son, Ralph W. Hemington III; daughter, Trina Hemington; grandsons, Taylor and Ashton; sister, Carol Hemington Turner; brother-in-law, Merle McCracken; former wife, Georgianne Hemington; many "Best" friends at LVMPD, The Las Vegas Country Club and "The Poker Guys and Girls;" the extended McCracken family in Pennsylvania; and his faithful dogs, Nala and Johnny. Ralph's memorial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, February 22, at Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 1900 Veterans Memorial Drive, in Boulder City. Celebration of life for food and "Ralph" stories following at the nearby Boulder Creek Golf Course. RSVP for the celebration of life is requested to Brock8888@aol.com. "The world goes on, but without one of the good ones."

Burial information: Southern Nevada Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Boulder City, NV

This information was last updated 02/18/2018

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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024