Ralph Eugene Hazelbaker

Ralph E. Hazelbaker, 12-7-1927 to 7-12-2026, of Naples, FL, and Columbus, OH, died peacefully in his sleep at home surrounded by family, on the land he cherished. Ralph’s was a five-fold legacy: family first, education, business, travel and philanthropy.

Predeceased by son Joel (Elizabeth), and grandson Jason, he is survived by his beloved wife Billie, and children Jon (Colleen), Brian (Susan), Jana, Gerry (Kathy), Alison (Dave Buell), and Leigh; 21 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren with a great-great on the way and many more to come. While he was known as Ralph to many and Dad to his seven; he was most proud of being called Grandpa, Gramps, Pops, Poppy, GGPa, and GGR.

Ralph was born and raised in the small town of Summitville, Indiana. His beloved mother, Nellie Hazelbaker Bates, worked as a cook and housecleaner for prominent local families. Ralph valued his humble beginnings and remained closely connected to the Summitville community throughout his life. Ralph’s early life during the Depression fueled his desire to overcome poverty and he saw education as the path forward. As an athlete and scholar, he often spoke of his high school basketball team’s county championship and of serving as Vice-President of his class and often enjoyed hosting their annual high school reunions.

In 1945, as a 17-year-old freshman at Indiana University, Ralph met Billie Ettinger, a beautiful coed. During their first date, over a Coca-Cola, they fell in love and the two smitten teenagers formed a connection that lasted 81 years and 78 wedding anniversaries.

College was interrupted by Ralph’s military service. Serving in the U.S. Navy in the immediate post-WWII era, he was assigned to Naval Intelligence in French Morocco. Following his service, Ralph received his B.S. at IU on the GI Bill and later obtained an MBA in Finance at The Ohio State University. He completed these studies while working full-time with seven children at home. Ralph was brilliant and a member of Mensa, finishing his PhD coursework and a year of law school while launching his entrepreneurial career.

Ralph’s business career started in sales, as he initially sold cookware door to door while attending college to support his burgeoning family. Soon, he owned the entire cookware company! He then founded a securities company, First Ohio Investment Securities Corp., which led to his acquisition of Americare Corp., with holdings of multiple long-term care facilities. He spent more than fifty years immersed in long-term care development, construction, ownership, financing, and operations. His tenure as President of the Ohio Health Care Association and Treasurer of the American Health Care Association influenced significant policy changes for the state of Ohio and nationally. This led to a Presidential appointment as a presenter at the 1981 White House Conference on Aging.

As an entrepreneur and policymaker, Ralph was a visionary; to him, every obstacle was simply a stepping stone and he greeted each challenge with great optimism, energy, determination and fortitude. In the process, he left an indelible mark on those involved, many of whom have worked with Ralph in his businesses for over forty (40) years. Of particular note are Ralph’s loyal, longstanding employees: George Corona, Cheryl Friend, Scott Hare, Sandy St. Clair, and his treasured nurse, Naomi Moore.

Ralph’s business success and belief that education could change the trajectory of a life because it had transformed his own, led him to establish The Hazelbaker Foundation in support of higher education activities at both Indiana University and The Ohio State University. Additionally, library and learning spaces were created in his name at both schools. He was instrumental in building the first public library in his hometown and established the Hazelbaker Scholarship, which has sent over 40 Summitville high school graduates to attend IU Bloomington where it all began for him. Ralph and Billie’s generosity extended beyond learning environments to encompass needs of children in addition to longtime support for the performing arts.

Ralph and Billie traveled the world, landing on every continent. Often, these trips included their seven children and sometimes the whole family. Making these memories and experiencing other cultures was of the utmost importance to them. A lifelong Hemingway fan, Ralph fulfilled one of his dreams by actually running with the bulls at Pamplona—at the age of sixty!

Ralph was an avid sports enthusiast as player, coach, and spectator throughout his life. From coaching little league, to running his sons ragged in Sunday afternoon basketball and football games, including decades of family Thanksgiving Turkey Bowls, to hitting the ski slopes with his kids in Colorado or other parts of the world, Ralph adored all sports with his offspring. Although keenly passionate for Buckeye football over fifty years, it was a point of pride for Ralph, being true to his Hoosier roots, to instead cheer on Cignetti’s Indiana University national championship team last year.

A passionate baseball fan, Ralph enjoyed playing with his sons and grandsons in Fantasy Baseball camps in Cooperstown and many other ballparks, playing well into his 70s. He loved watching his children and grandchildren passionately embrace the sports that he enjoyed throughout his life.

Ralph was 98 and 1/2 years old, the half he’d recently become very proud to note. He lived a big life. He greeted everyone with a twinkle in his blue eyes, a trove of stories, and a hearty laugh to the very end. A great man of the Greatest Generation. He will be missed by many.