Ralph E. Roper

91, Indianapolis, passed away of natural causes at his home on August 9th. He was an industrialist in Indianapolis for 36 years before his retirement in 1986. He was born in Winston-Salem, NC on March 18th, 1920 and grew up in the southern Indiana communities of Madison and Cannelton. He was a graduate of Ball State Teacher’s College where he met Edra Stoelting whom he married in 1942. They celebrated their 68th wedding anniversary last September. While at Ball State he was a member of the Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. Ralph attended US Naval officers training at Columbia University and served in the Navy for over four years during World War II. After the war Ralph worked as an engineer for companies in Evansville, IN and Grand Rapids, MI before settling in Indianapolis to manage Wallace Tool and Die Co, Inc. He founded two subsidiary companies, Wallace Expanding Machines, Inc. and Expanded Metal Products (EMP) and served on the board of directors for the D&M Company. He was well known at the US Patent Office and held over 40 patents related to his work including the invention of the “expander” hydraulic press used worldwide for manufacturing high quality sheet metal components in the appliance and automotive industries. Ralph was devoted to his wife and family and was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He was an avid fisherman, a lover of animals, a great story teller and joke teller, as well as a fine short-order cook. Through his written memoirs he left a colorful account of his early years, his romantic courtship of Edra, his Navy times during WWII, and all the humorous experiences he shared with business colleagues, family members and family pets. Ralph is survived by his wife Edra; son Philip A. Roper, MD and his wife Lisa Rae of Missoula, MT; son Ralph E. Roper, Jr., PhD and his wife Sue Ann of Carmel, IN; grandchildren Michael Roper and Erin (husband Mark) Hopper of Phoenix, AZ; grandchildren Jeffrey Roper and Sara Roper of Indianapolis, IN; and great-grandchildren Riley and Grant Hopper. Visitation will be held on Saturday morning, August 13th at the Meridian Street United Methodist Church, 5500 N. Meridian Street beginning at 9:30 am followed by a funeral service in the chapel beginning at 10:30 am. All are cordially invited to join the family for a light lunch at the church following the service. Following lunch, an internment ceremony will be held at 1:00 pm at the Washington Park North Cemetery. Those who wish to sign the on-line guest registry or share thoughts with the family may do so by visiting www.flannerbuchanan.com.