RALPH CLARENCE (R. C.) BONZO, JR.

Ralph Clarence (R. C.) Bonzo, Jr, 73, of Washington Court House, Ohio died Sunday, August 9, 2020, at 5:03 p.m. at his home.

R. C. was born June 3, 1947, at Ironton in Lawrence County, Ohio to Ralph Clarence and Betty Jane Lockwood Bonzo. He was a 1965 graduate of Miami Trace High School and received an associate degree in Ag Business from Clark State Institution in 1967. He was a lifelong resident of Fayette County.

He was a contractor, building homes for 30 years, first with Deer Creek Builders and then Bonzo Builders.  He retired in 2009, due to his affliction with Agent Orange.

R. C. was a member of Bloomingburg Lodge F. & A.M. #449. He had two church families, the Madison Mills United Methodist Church and the First Baptist Church in Washington Court House where he had served as Sunday school teacher, on the board of trustees and as a deacon.  He had been a member and past president of the former Bloomingburg Lions Club.  He was a U. S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War and was awarded two Purple Hearts and the Bronze Star and was a member of the Disabled American Veterans.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

R .C. is survived by his wife, the former Anne King, whom he married December 20, 1975; two sons and daughters-in-law, Joe and Brenda Bonzo and Pete and Emily Bonzo; three grandsons, A. J., Lincoln and Hudson; a brother and sister-in-law, Ed and Jeanette Bonzo; a brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Wayne and Emily King; aunt and uncle, Mary and Ron Brownlee, all of Fayette County, and many cousins.

A private funeral will be held Thursday, August 13, 2020, at the Madison Mills United Methodist Church with the Rev. Jeffrey Jewell, pastor at the church, officiating.  He will be assisted by Adam Lynch, minister at Crossroads Christian Church.  A Masonic service will immediately follow the funeral.

A graveside service, which is open to the public, will be held Thursday, at 12 Noon in the Madison Mills Cemetery.  The service will be concluded with complete military honors.  R. C.’s family respectfully requests that, for the safety of all,  masks be worn at the graveside service.

There will be no calling hours.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Fayette County Honor Guard, 707 Clinton Avenue, or Ohio’s Hospice of Fayette County, 222 North Oakland Avenue, Washington Court House, Ohio  43160.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Kirkpatrick Funeral Home in Washington Court House.

www.kirkpatrickfuneralhome.com