Ralph O. Conklin turned 100 years of age last month. He was born to Floyd and Fannie Conklin in their home on Hopewell Ridge near Sycamore. Mr. Conklin is a huge Steeler fan and played football himself for Center Township High School under legendary coach Bob Wiley. After graduating in 1944, he enlisted in the Navy and spent two years in the South Pacific on the destroyer escort Kenneth Willett.
Upon returning home, he became the bus contractor for the West Greene School District. A position he held for 49 years. He earned his pilot’s license and purchased a small plane. He would fly over the Hundred, WV bank to wave at a pretty young teller named Jeannette Cunningham. After a month-long courtship, they were married. Their 74-year marriage produced three sons: Doug, Randall (Randy), and Kevin.
He became a stockholder and manager of a small company called Natural Gas of West Virginia. Eventually, he purchased other wells and a larger company called Greenridge Oil and Gas, of which he is still the president.
Ralph started taking golf lessons and “slowing down” in his mid-70’s. He even purchased a condo in Jupiter, Florida to take advantage of the extended golf season. After raising his family in New Freeport most of his adult life, he now resides back on Hopewell Ridge less than a mile from where he was born.
