Ralph Wetherell Obituary

Ralph "Dick" Richard Wetherell, Jr. BLUFFTON, SC - Ralph "Dick" Richard Wetherell Jr. went to be with his beloved wife, Carol on January 13, 2015. He was still grieving the loss of his dear wife who died just 4 months and 4 days earlier. Dick was born on January 17, 1936 in Westfield, Massachusetts. He spent his early years in the New England and Long Island, New York areas. He then traveled extensively with the military. He served in the Navy and the Marines, but spent most of his career in the Air Force as a PJ - para-rescue man. Dick had a fascinating military career with adventures including rescuing Gemini and Apollo astronauts when their capsules splashed into the ocean. He also taught survival school at Charleston Air Force Base. After retiring from the military in 1976, Dick and his wife spent many years as Realtors. He enjoyed golf, boating, travel, adventures, and spending time with his dogs. At Church of the Cross in Bluffton, he was very involved as an usher, docent, Stephen Minister, and worker at God's Goods - the church's thrift shop. Dick was also active in the Masons and Shriners. Dick will be deeply missed by his daughter and son-in-law - Lori and Robert Bellacicco; son and daughter-in-law - Ralph and Terri Wetherell; and son and daughter-in-law - Shawn and Lauri Wetherell. He was a terrific role model to his 6 grandchildren - Tayler, Joshua, Alex, Sarah, Richard, and Harrison. Dick was also a wonderful brother to Gail and her husband Paul and a dear friend to many. A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 7th at 2:30 PM at Church of the Cross in Bluffton, SC. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Paws 4 Vets, a wonderful organization that trains service dogs to assist Veterans. Donations can be sent to - Paws4Vets, Attention Kyria Henry, 1121C-324 Military Cutoff Road, Wilmington, NC 28405 or on the internet at https://paws4people.org/donate/. Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston