Ralph H. Link Obituary (1942 - 2022)

Ralph H. Link, 80 of Bloomington, passed away on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at his home. His funeral will be held at 10am on Monday, October 10, 2022 at St. Patrick Church of Merna, with Rev. Dustin Schultz officiating. Visitation will be after the funeral from 3 to 5 pm on Monday at Carmody-Flynn Funeral Home, Bloomington. Cremation rites will be accorded after the visitation. Entombment will be at East Lawn Memorial Gardens Mausoleum at 2pm on Tuesday. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to DAV Disabled American Veterans, Tunnel to Towers Foundation or CBTF Children's Brain Tumor Foundation. To express condolences online, please visit www.carmodyflynn.com. He was born August 28, 1942 in Carlinville, IL, son of Michael and Lola Boehm Link. He married Jane Marie Deibert on December 15, 1962 in Pottsville, PA. Surviving are his wife, Jane, Bloomington; two children, Michael Link and Heidi (Thomas) Bates, both of Normal; four grandchildren, Chelsea (David) Heitz, Haley (Christian) Rasmussen and Lindsey & Dalton Bates. Also surviving are two great-grandchildren, Freyja & Odin Heitz; one brother, Mike (Becky) Link, Bethalto and two sisters, Carol (Chuck) Roper, Litchfield and Janet Caulk, West Palm Beach, FL. He was preceded in death by a daughter-in-law, Dawn Link and one brother-in-law, Ed Caulk. Ralph was a United States Navy Vietnam veteran, having served as a flight engineer. His love for flying continued after serving his 8 years in the military and Ralph flew for over 40 years as a pilot for FS/Growmark and Country Financial before retiring. Ralph loved anything fast and a close second behind airplanes were his motorcycles. If you couldn't find Ralph in a plane or on a motorcycle, then one would know to look for him on the golf course, in his woodworking shop, in his vegetable garden or in the garage restoring his International/Cub Cadet tractors. Ralph loved spending time with his family and friends when he was not busy working on his hobbies. He made sure to cap each evening relaxing with a cigar and a Jack Daniels.