Legendary Stillwater Boxing Coach Ralph Edward Friend

Legendary Stillwater boxing coach Ralph Edward Friend won his final round on earth and went to be with his Lord in that big boxing ring in the sky. Services have been entrusted to the care of Palmer Marler Funeral Home and a service celebrating Ralphs amazing life will be held at 1pm on Saturday, March 22, 2014 at the Palmer Marler Funeral Home Chapel in Stillwater, OK. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens where Ralph will be laid to rest beside one of his most promising fighters, Martin Pinney. Public visitation will be held from 12pm-6pm on Thursday and from 8am to 8pm on Friday with the family greeting friends at the funeral home from 6pm-8pm Friday evening.
Ralph was born on June 1, 1929 in Ventura, CA to Asa Ashford Friend and Flo (Herd) Friend. He attended schools in Ontario, OR where he boxed on his high school boxing team. Following his graduation, Ralph spent a year coaching his high school team and began a lifelong passion for shaping the lives of young men by training them to become the best fighter they could be. Ralph enlisted in the U.S. Army where he served 2 years in Germany as a jeep driver and personal guitar player for a high ranking Army Colonel. He also boxed and coached other boxers in the Armys boxing league.
Following his honorable discharge from the military, Ralph returned to Oregon and purchased a gas station. In 1956, he married Helga Lehmann. To make extra money, Ralph would play the guitar on the local radio station and he also did live skits on the radio with Larry from The Three Stooges.
In the early 1960s the Friend family moved to Oklahoma and purchased a farm in the Glencoe area. He ran the grain elevator in Lela (Noble County), managed the Ahrberg Mill in Stillwater, and he also owned Rite-Way Laundry in Stillwater for several years. Ralph owned and operated R&R Grain and Feed in Morrison from 1969-1973. In the mid 1970s, he accepted a position at Moore Business Forms, a job he enjoyed for nearly 20 years. Ralph enjoyed his busy life. Although his business career kept him on his feet, he still had time to raise cattle and pigs and enjoy a successful career as a professional boxing coach and boxing official.
There were few things in life that Ralph Friend was more passionate about than boxing. He was appointed to the Oklahoma Boxing Commission by a former Governor and served the Commission for many years and he served as chairman of the Heartland Regional Boxing Tournament. In the early 1970s, Ralph founded the Stillwater Boxing Club, a sheet metal building in his back yard that has produced a number of Golden Glove champions. Above the handmade ring is a board that lists the Stillwater Boxing Club Honor Roll, 13 names of an elite class of Golden Glove champions Friend has trained. Friend never turned someone away from his gym as long as they are willing to work, no matter their age or size.
In 1971, he led 34-year-old Brian Kelly to the ring for the Light Heavyweight World Championship against Bob Foster. During his six decades in the profession, Ralph trained many local and regional fighters such as Martin Pinney, Jimmy Fairbanks, Don Christiano, Joel Spitler, Kirk Christiano, and Johnny Blaiser with the help of his assistant coach Fred Causley, Sr., whom Ralph had lured out of his office job.
Ralph also received many awards and accolades as a fighter. He amassed a collection of wins from fights all over the West Coast before returning to his coaching roots. In 1979, Ralph founded the Martin Pinney Memorial Boxing Tournament and the Ralph Friend Tournament is held in Oklahoma City each year. Ralph was the coach for the Regional Golden Gloves boxers and was the National Golden Gloves Coach of the Year in the 70s and also the Golden Gloves Coach of the Decade. He was inducted into the Nation Golden Gloves Hall of Fame. June 1, 2009 was deemed Ralph Friend Day by the City of Stillwater.
Ralph Friend was a strong-willed, hardworking man who truly believed that at the age of 84, he could still go 10 rounds with Joe Lewis. Although Ralph loved the sport of boxing and the many boxers he coached, his first love was always his family. He taught his two sons Joey and Danny to be respectful, loyal, and to always put their families first. Ralphs legacy of respect and dedication to excellence in all you do will live on through the lives of his sons, as well as through the lives of the many fighters he coached during his inspiring 84 years of life.
Ralph is survived by his two sons: Joey Friend and wife Teena, of Stillwater, OK and Danny Friend and wife Beth, of Belton, SC. Grandchildren: Wesley Ziegelmeier and Nicole Currant and husband Chad. Great grandchildren: Treytn and Harper Currant and a brother Warren Friend. He is also preceded in death by many nieces, nephews, and other family members and friends. Ralph was preceded in death by his parents: Asa and Flo Friend; two sisters: Fr
eda Patton and Gladys Tyner; and two brothers: Williard and Arnold Friend.
In lieu of flowers the family has requested that donations be made in Ralphs name to the Kansas/Oklahoma Boxing Association in care of Palmer Marler Funeral Home 5106 N. Washington. Stillwater, OK 74075
Condolences can be sent to the family via an online guestbook at www.pmcfh.com