Ralph G Stanley (1914 - 1938)

Born 6 Mar 1914 in Madisonville, Hopkins, Kentucky, United States

Husband of Mary Louise (Oosterhoudt) Case — married 27 Jan 1936 (to 28 Jan 1938) in Jacksonville, Duval, Florida, United States

Husband of Florence H (Doomar) Stanley — married 21 Feb 1938 (to 4 Dec 1938) in Macclenny, Baker, Florida, United States

Died 4 Dec 1938 at age 24 in Jacksonville, Duval, Florida, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Geoff Oosterhoudt [send private message]

Biography

Ralph was born before 1936. He committed suicide in 1938.

Marriages

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939Z-YF9R-JZ?view=index&action=view

• Name Ralph G Stanley
• Sex Male
• Spouse's Name Mary Louise Oosterhoudt
• Spouse's Sex Female
• Event Type Marriage
• Event Date 1936 [27 Jan]
• Event Place Duval, Duval, Florida, United States
• Page Number 830

Divorce

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6N82-WRSS?cid=fs_copy

• Name Ralph Stanley
• Sex Male
• Spouse's Name Mary Louise
• Spouse's Sex Female
• Marriage Date 27 Jan 1936
• Event Type Divorce
• Event Date 28 Jan 1938
• Event Place Duval, Florida, United States

Mary Louise sued Ralph for divorce with cruelty as the reason, which he contested. Mary Louise was granted the divorce as well as alimony. Thankfully there were no children involved.

Research Notes

According to an article in the Florida Times-Union, Ralph Stanley committed suicide after fatally shooting his estranged wife, listed as Mrs. Florence Henrietta Stanley. They had been separated for two weeks. Ralph Stanley had married Mary Louise Oosterhoudt two years previously, and divorced two years later, only 11 months before this incident. One has to wonder if the detectives checked Keim for gunshot residue, as well as determining whose gun was used and whether the penciled note was actually in Stanley's handwriting. And what eaactly was the reason for the estrangement? Was Keim involved? I find it odd that the note was actually "found" under Stanley's body. It only could have been there, rather than in a pocket, if he dropped it and rolled over it, as well as determining if it had bloodstains. If the Stanley's death were truly a suicide, there would be little reason to keep the details of the note a secret. It is notable that Ralph and his wife are buried in two different cemeteries, as Evergreen Cemetery itself is enormous.

Sources

• https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/223451?token=75a0ee7bfeaded29479920dbfa9baf49e492d2c8e44151a45d640b2f733bab16

https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A1562C9C6E7BFE4FC%40GB3NEWS-1983CBF505EF33DB%402429238-1982CD31A2337D22%4012

The Florida Times-Union, Monday, Dec 05, 1938, Jacksonville, FL, Pages: 13/18

Ralph Stanley Kills His Wife Then Himself Couple Had Been Separated Two Weeks, Investigating Officers Learn

Ralph G. Stanley, 24-year-old WPA employe living at 1412 Cedar Street, Southside, shot and killed himself shortly after 9 o'clock yesterday morning a few seconds after he had fatally wounded his estranged wife, Mrs. Florence Henrietta Stanley, 19, while in the rear of a store operated by the latter's mother at 1508 Main Street, according to a police report. Stanley died while being rushed to St. Luke's Hospital in a Key-McCabe ambulance. He was shot one time through the heart. His wife, who was shot twice in the chest and one time in the left arm, died a few minutes after reaching the hospital, investigating officers said. Witnesses told investigating officers, they said, that Stanley went to the store shorty before 9 A. M., and he and his wife, from whom he had been separated for about two weeks, went behind a partition at the rear of the place of business. An argument ensued, officers said they learned, and in a few minutes four shots were heard. Ralph Keim, 1339 Laura Street, who was next door to the store, told officers, they said, that he heard the shots and rushed into the back of the store where he found both Stanley and his wife lying on the floor. A .32 calibre revolver was lying near Stanley's right hand, it was stated, and as Keim reached the scene he told officers that Stanley made a futile attempt to reach the gun. Keim placed the revolver on a nearby counter and called officers.

Note is found.

Detective Sergt. H. V. Branch,who led the investigation, said a note, written in pencil, was found beneath Stanley's body as he was being placed in the ambulance. Contents of the note were not revealed. The revolver was said to have been loaded with six bullets, four of which had been discharged. Mrs. Stanley, who resided at 1525 Laura Street, was a native of Jacksonville and had resided here all of her life. She attended Kirby-Smith and Andrew Jackson High School and was a member of the Women's Benefit Association Review No. 20. Surviving are her parents, Mr. and Mrs. N. Doomar, the former a meber of the Jacksonville Fire Department; a brother, Norman M. Doomar, captain of the Andrew Jackson football team; and her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G. H. Stevens, Jacksonville, and Mrs. Sophia DeMetrie, Tallahassee. Honorary pallbearers will be: Fire Chief W. Q. Dowling, City Commissioner Fred M. Valz, Ernest E. Anders and P. M. Ulsch, Assistant Fire Chief J. B. Chancey, H. G. Melzer, Fire Capt. Dan Alde, Robert Chison, J. C. Stiles, O. W. Crawford, Charles Wright, E. L. Crawford, Fred Nasiff, Joseph Willensky, Paul Nasrallah, Mike Houser, Walter Middlekauff, Cyrus Anderson and Andrew Nasrallah; active, James Norman, William Rosenblatt, (continued from page 13) Anderson Peeler, Phillip Coleman, Brooks Edwards and William Eadson. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery. Stanley had been a resident of Jacksonvillle for 15 years and attended local schools. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs Kemp E. Stanley, and one sister, Miss Mary E. Stanley Southside. Funeral services for him will be held at 2 P. M. Tuesday in the chapel of the Burns-Naugle Funeral Home. The Rev. Gayton L. Howe, pastor of Elizabeth Swain Memorial Methodist Church, will officiate. Interment will be in Oaklawn Cemetery.