Townson-Rose Funeral Home

Obituary for Ralph Hugh Ammerman


01/25/1931 - 03/26/2023


Ralph Hugh Ammerman, age 92 of Murphy passed away March 26, 2023.He was born January 25, 1931 in Orlando, Florida to the late Ernest Clyde Ammerman and Isabella Morgan Ammerman.

Ralph loved animals, especially horses, and at the age of fourteen while working at a riding stable he had the opportunity to help teach horseback riding at Camp Sequoyah, a Boy Scout camp in Asheville.

His great joy was flying; having learned to fly when flying was fun. As a teen he worked at the Naval Air base across the lake from his home at Lot-a-fun Avenue, named by his mother, on Lake Killarney in Orlando, Florida. This was in exchange for flying lessons. At eighteen he was flying Cessna planes from Wichita, Kansas to Orlando, Florida. He flew and owned several different kinds of planes during his life, but his favorite was his Comanche.

Ralph had a master's degree in electronics and helped to expand his dad's radio and TV parts and repair business. He also became a top real estate seller in Lakeland, Florida.

Ralph was self-taught and could do many things with no formal training, figuring out how to do so by himself, whether repairing an appliance, fixing electrical problems or building houses, becoming a contractor for several housing development projects in North Georgia.

He taught himself to play the piano and his children remember him playing "When the Saints Go Marching In" while waiting for his family to get ready for church on Sunday morning. He enjoyed singing and many will remember his beautiful solos, especially his favorite "The Family of God".

More than that he was willing to share what he knew. His family and friends learned how to do many things from him. He taught his kids how to do many things, and enjoyed helping them with science projects, even buying his daughter her own set of tools and showing her how to use them.

Later he and his wife Joyce, who he loved deeply, worked together building decks and doing other home improvement work. They traveled to New York and Mississippi helping churches with building projects they needed help with.

He was always a true gentleman, growing up at a time when this was respected. He loved having places to go where he could get dressed up and was always neat in his appearance.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Clyde Ammerman, and his sister Joyce Ammerman Jackson. He is survived by his wife Joyce Hooper Ammerman, three daughters, Angela Frey of Glen Carbon, Ill, Lisa Ammerman of Vancouver, Washington, Pamela Smith of Crawford Trail, Georgia and one son Kevin Ammerman of Mableton, Georgia, four step children Matthew Hedrick, Israel Hedrick, Sherri Hedrick, and Becky Hedrick, six grandchildren, ten step grandchildren and several great grandchildren and step great grandchildren.

His family would like to give special thanks to Hospice of North Carolina, formally Good Shepherd Hospice for the excellent care and compassion they gave to Mr. Ammerman.

The family will hold a private celebration of life at a later date.

Townson-Rose Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.


You may send tributes to the family at www.townson-rose.com