Ralph Lucian Weidner tribute

This is the ore carrier John C. Williams, a ship on which my father may have worked. The ship may be docked at Indiana Harbor, East Chicago, Indiana.

My father earned his private pilot's license after WWII. He bought this airplane between the late 1940s - mid 1950s. I don't know anything about it's history, year, make or model. The registration number is NC51477. I'm guessing this was abandoned somewhere in Minnesota around the time he married my mom.

The front of the same airplane. I don't know anything about it's history, year, make or model. The registration number is NC51477. I'm guessing this was abandoned somewhere in Minnesota around the time he married my mom.

My dad's sweetheart and my mother, Victoria Marynowski-Weidner. She graduated in 1946 from Hammond High School, Hammond, Indiana

This is my father's certification for, "knot tying, loading and lashing, and safe loading principles...and glider piloting," earned in 1946 while enlisted in the 11th Airborne Division of the United States Army.

This is my father's discharge paper from the 11th Airborne Division of the United States Army. Notice the right thumb print and the official seal. This appears to be a "sealed" photocopy and certainly made before the 1973 fire at the WWII military records warehouse in St. Louis, Missouri.

This is my father, with hat rim turned up, at the far right. He is pictured with Wilfred O. Sykes, an Inland Steel board member. He received a savings bond for his efforts in rescuing sailors from the Henry Steinbrenner feighter that sank in Lake Superior on May 11, 1953. Dad was a merchant marine aboard the ore carrier Sykes. I have an original copy of this photograph stamped "credit Chicago Tribune" on the back.

This is my father eating supper. Photograph taken about 1955 or 1956 in either north Hammond or Black Oak (Gary), Indiana

This is my father holding my eldest sister, Leandra. They are on the front steps of my maternal grandparent's house in Hammond, Indiana in the Spring of 1956

This is my father with my sister, Leandra Lorraine. They are at the house in Black Oak (Gary) Indiana

This is my father with my eldest brother, Ralph Lawrence with dad's pop corn truck. I believe this picture was taken at our house in Calumet City, Illinois early 1963

This is my dad's youngest sister, Agnes Weidner-Roethle, with my eldest sister, Leandra Lorraine at my paternal grandparent's apartment on Broadway in Minneapolis, Minnesota in late 1957.

My parents and some elder siblings. L. to R. Mom holding Stephen Charles, Leandra Lorraine, Dad holding William Francis, and Ralph Lawrence on dad's knee. About Easter 1962 inside my maternal grandparent's house in Hammond, Indiana

Mom, Dad, and maternal grandparents for dinner get together. William Francis seated next to dad, Mom, Steve Marynowski, (Grandpa's mother?), Leandra Lorraine in front. Stephen Charles or Randall Clair in high chair. Taken at maternal grandparent's house in Hammond, Indiana.

This is the safety award my dad earned in September 1981 from Inland Steel.

My father with Richard J. Wilson, General Manager at Inland Steel presenting dad with the TOPS Safety Award in 1981.

Agnes Weidner, Sister Florine of Minnesota. Dad's Aunt.