(MyKeeneNow) – Ralph Frank Hooper, 82, passed away Wednesday, Sept. 11.

He was born in Revere, MA Sept. 18, 1941, son of Ralph and Mary Hooper. He was an only child.

Ralph attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, learning communications systems. He earned his certification in radio communications from the Military Affiliated Systems in May 1964. He later earned a doctorate of divinity of religion in September 2006 from the school of Southern States University.

Ralph served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1960-1965, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He operated and maintained the two-way communications systems for the U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War. He received government clearance for secret communications and engineering and utilized morse code to communicate and expedite orders during the foreign tours. During this period of service, his marriage was postponed three times due to unexpected reassignments to new tours. Ralph was known for his charming and high-spirited nature who loved to laugh and enjoyed being surrounded by family and friends.

Ralph married Joan Chapuisat in 1963.

After his successful completion and honorable discharge from the Marines, he moved to North Andover, MA with his family. Ralph worked as an Electronic Technician most of his life. He worked for many years for Dave Mason in Waltham, MA before moving to Swanzey, NH to pursue a new career working for R&R Communications. He maintained and repaired the two-way communication systems, repeater sites and towers for all Police, Fire and Rescue to help facilitate keeping the community safe and ensuring the communications systems were in an ongoing state.

He owned and operated Tri-State Communications in Swanzey and continued to support the police and fire and rescue units of the many surrounding tri-state areas. His family was key in his life. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where he became an Elder of the Melchizedek Priesthood. He served, loved and healed many members.

He relished going on vacations and discovering new sites. He enjoyed taking photos and always capturing treasured memories. He enjoyed camping excursions and taught his family survival skills and to think like a Marine. He had a passion for luxury vehicles and loved to beautify and detail them. He had a love for delving into communication systems and talking on his Ham radio system to meet people from far and distant lands. He was licensed through the FCC and established his own radio station on two occasions; his first station was K1KXW while serving in Hawaii for the U.S. Marines and the second station was WRFH and established in Swanzey.

He delighted in giving people a great experience through his taste of music.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years; three daughters, Cheryl Schillemat and her husband, Daryl Schillemat of Nelson, Kim Johndro of Creedmoor, NC, Robin Hooper of Swanzey and her significant other, Eric Blanchard of Alstead, and a son, Ralph Hooper of Swanzey; 14 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.

Services will be held privately.

All services are under the care of Cheshire Family Funeral Home and Crematories, 46 S. Winchester St. Swanzey, NH 03446. (www.cheshirefamilyfh.com)