Ring Family History

 (last update 20 Dec 2006)

Fifth Generation
( GOMER EDWARD⁴, EDWARD JOSEPH³, GEORGE W.², JACOB¹)

Children of Gomer Edward Kraus and Alice Eula Allen

1. Gomer Edward Kraus [16] was born 22 May 1917 in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas, and died 2 May 1991 in Jacksonville, Ducal County, Florida. He married Pauline Thompson, daughter of Ewell N. and Ethel E. Thompson, on 19 August 1943 in the Raymond Munger Memorial at the College of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas. He played football for the Clarksville High School Panthers in 1933. Gomer went to school at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University) in Stillwater, Oklahoma and studied architecture. To unwind from studying, he would go out to the ball field and shag flies for the baseball team. The coach talked him into joining the team as a short stop and he played there for the rest of his college career and was captain of the baseball team. Upon graduation, he was drafted by the Red Sox. This was the very beginning of the war in Europe and his dad talked him into starting his profession, saying that ball players would be the first to go if we got into the war. So Gomer passed up the Red Sox and started his career, designing the air base at Corpus Christi, Texas and then the base in Jacksonville, Florida. On 23 December 1943 he enlisted as a corporal in the Oklahoma National Guard. When the U.S. entered the war he joined the Navy as an Ensign. He served in the Pacific as the Executive Officer on an aircraft carrier tender. His brother Joe also served in the Pacific as a Lieutenant, J.G. and skipper of a converted landing craft. They ran into each other in the Marshall Islands and Gomer traded shoes for a case of beer from Joe. After the war Gomer settled in Jacksonville, Florida and started a successful architectural firm. The following articles appeared in the local Clarksville newspapers...

July 19th, 1933:
  Miss Sybil Wright was a charming hostess Friday evening when she entertained at her home on East Hill with a dance and party in honor of her guests Misses Juanita Nicholas and Joe Bailey of Atkins.
  Guests were Misses Kathleen Park, Virginia Brown, Ester Jean McNalb, Nadine and Mavine Lewis, Eklizabeth Blackard, Bernice Melvin, Mildred Smreker; Mrssrs. Earl Hunt, Jr., Bill Hunt, Ernest King, Jr., Earl King Johnson, Sam Harris, Jr., Wells Walton, Gerald Goforth, T. J. Thompson, Gomer Kraus, Joe Kraus, Horner Pitts, Noel Morgan and R. L. Vaught.

August 13th, 1933:
  Only three letterman answered the first call for practice when the high school Panthers football eleven started fall training on the high school grounds last Friday morning with Coach Bill Metheny in charge of workouts.
  The three lettermen include Delmar Convington, Dyer Lanthrip, and Heartsell Hall, linesmen. When practice started, Coach Metheny had issued uniforms to 36 candidates.
  Coach Metheny, who was absent from the Panther field in 1932, but who piloted the eleven to many victories through 1928-1931, will have a difficult job building up a strong team from such a large number of inexperienced recruits, but he believes that he will present a good team when the Red and White start their season.
  Candidates who have been issued uniforms are reporting daily for practice include Delmar Covington, Dyer Landthrip, Hearsell Hall, Robert Taylor, Wendell Riddell, Cecil Farmer, Floyd Love, Van Bennett, Gomer Kraus, David Binkley, Horner Pitts, Orville Felkins, Earle Hunt, Jr., Alfred Rowton, T.J. Thomposn. Jr., Billy Bob Scarborough, Sam Harris, Joe Kraus, John Zimpel, Morgan Howard, Buster Cowan, Claude Upton, John Prizina, Bobbie Hurtt, Robert Hardwicke, Leonard Badger, Noel Morgan, Tome David Vaughn, Howell Hart, Toliver Park, Sam Myres, John Estes Whiting, Herbert Bridges, Joe Bock, Cecil Johnston and Thomas Sefcik.

Child of Gomer Kraus and Pauline Thompson are:

1. Gary Edward Kraus.

2. Paula Kraus.

Bibliography

• 1920 Federal Census, Spadra Township, Johnson County, Arkansas

• 1930 Federal Census, AR, Johnson County, Clarksville, Ward 3, Spadra Township, Johnson Street, page 246a (Gomer Kraus Sr.)

• 1930 Federal Census, AR, Johnson County, Spadra Township, Clarksville, page 12b, Ewell N. Thompson.

• 1940 World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 Record, National Guard, Infantry, 23 Dec 1940, Gomer E. Kraus.

• 1991 Social Security Death Index (Gomer Kraus)

• 1991 Florida Health Department, Office of Vital Records, 1998, Florida Death Index, 1877-1998 (Gomer Kraus)

2. Joe Allen Kraus  [20] was born 11 May 1919 in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas and died 25 December 1997 in Rogers, Benton County, Arkansas. He married Elizabeth Ann 'Betty' Spencer on 4 April 1943 at the Raymond Munger Memorial Chapel, College of the Ozarks in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas. She was born 11 March 1922 in Bentonville, Benton County, Arkansas and died 27 June 1997 in Springdale, Benton County, Arkansas. In 1931, while in the sixth grade at the West Hill School Joe was honored for perfect attendance throughout the school year. He played football for the Clarksville High School Panthers in 1933. Joe tried to join the Navy but was turned down because of an eye disease. He got that cleared up and went to Midshipmen's school in 1941 at Columbia University in New York. After graduation he was commissioned in the U.S. Navy as an Ensign on 7 December 1942. He served as skipper of a converted landing craft as a Lt. J.G. and was made a full Lt. when he returned to the States. He served until 23 December 1945. Joe worked as the basketball coach and later principal of Harrison High School in Harrison, Boone County, Arkansas until he retired to Bella Vista, Benton County, Arkansas. He was an avid golfer. Joe and Betty were active members of the Arkansas Audubon Society. They moved from Bella Vista to Bentonville, Benton County, Arkansas when Betty started undergoing chemotherapy for stomach cancer. Betty died at the home of her daughter Karen. By that time Joe's health was failing and he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease. He passed away at a Rogers, Arkansas rehabilitation facility just six months after Betty's death. Joe is buried in the Fayetteville National Cemetery, Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas. The following articles appeared in the local Clarksville newspapers...

May 28th 1931 - West Hill School Honor Roll
  The elementary department of West Hill School submitting the following honor roll children having a perfect attendance record for the entire year, being neither tardy nor absent:
   Fourth Grade-Evelyn Boggs, Margaret King, Eudah Kolb, Emogene Lafter.
Fifth Grade-Anna Carolyn Bush, Margaret Hardgraves, Esther Jean McNabb, Edwin Boggs.
Sixth Grade-Joe Kraus, Jack Kraus, Juanita Edwards, and Inz Turnbow.

July 19th, 1933:
  Miss Sybil Wright was a charming hostess Friday evening when she entertained at her home on East Hill with a dance and party in honor of her guests Misses Juanita Nicholas and Joe Bailey of Atkins.
  Guests were Misses Kathleen Park, Virginia Brown, Ester Jean McNalb, Nadine and Mavine Lewis, Eklizabeth Blackard, Bernice Melvin, Mildred Smreker; Mrssrs. Earl Hunt, Jr., Bill Hunt, Ernest King, Jr., Earl King Johnson, Sam Harris, Jr., Wells Walton, Gerald Goforth, T. J. Thompson, Gomer Kraus, Joe Kraus, Horner Pitts, Noel Morgan and R. L. Vaught.

August 13th, 1933:
  Only three letterman answered the first call for practice when the high school Panthers football eleven started fall training on the high school grounds last Friday morning with Coach Bill Metheny in charge of workouts.
  The three lettermen include Delmar Convington, Dyer Lanthrip, and Heartsell Hall, linesmen. When practice started, Coach Metheny had issued uniforms to 36 candidates.
  Coach Metheny, who was absent from the Panther field in 1932, but who piloted the eleven to many victories through 1928-1931, will have a difficult job building up a strong team from such a large number of inexperienced recruits, but he believes that he will present a good team when the Red and White start their season.
  Candidates who have been issued uniforms are reporting daily for practice include Delmar Covington, Dyer Landthrip, Hearsell Hall, Robert Taylor, Wendell Riddell, Cecil Farmer, Floyd Love, Van Bennett, Gomer Kraus, David Binkley, Horner Pitts, Orville Felkins, Earle Hunt, Jr., Alfred Rowton, T.J. Thomposn. Jr., Billy Bob Scarborough, Sam Harris, Joe Kraus, John Zimpel, Morgan Howard, Buster Cowan, Claude Upton, John Prizina, Bobbie Hurtt, Robert Hardwicke, Leonard Badger, Noel Morgan, Tome David Vaughn, Howell Hart, Toliver Park, Sam Myres, John Estes Whiting, Herbert Bridges, Joe Bock, Cecil Johnston and Thomas Sefcik.

Child of Joe Kraus and Betty Spencer is:

1. Karen Kraus.

Bibliography

• 1920 Federal Census, AR, Johnson County.

• 1930 Federal Census, AR, Johnson County, Clarksville, Ward 3, Spadra Township, Johnson Street, page 246a (Gomer Kraus)

• 1942 National Cemetery Gravesite Index, US Department of Veteran's Affairs [electronic] (Joe A. Kraus)

• 1997 Social Security Death Index, U.S., (Joe Kraus)

• 1997 Obituary, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Little Rock, Pulaski County, Arkansas, 29 Dec 1997 (Joe Kraus)

• 1997 Obituary, The Graphic, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas, 31 Dec 1997 (Joe Kraus)

• 1997 Grave Marker, Fayetteville National Cemetery, Fayetteville, Boone County, Arkansas (Joe Kraus)

• 1997 Social Security Death Index, U.S. (Betty Kraus)

3. Robert Lee Kraus  [4] was born 26 July 1928 in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas and died 23 January 2005 in Clarksville. He married Sylvia Dean Sexton, daughter of William Corbit Sexton and Rosa Acord, on 23 September 1950 in Clarksville. She was born 11 September 1934 in Johnson County, Arkansas.As a teenager Bob worked in a radio shop in Clarksville and became interested in electronics. Soon after his marriage he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, enlisting on 20 February 1952. After boot camp in San Diego, California he was assigned to the destroyer USS Murray (DDE-567). He took advantage of every electronics-related school he could and became a sonar operator.  In June 1953 she sailed for her first deployment to the Mediterranean, serving in the hunter killer force of the 6th Fleet. Her 1954 tour was marked by an extension to northern European ports. In 1956, Murray operated with Nautilus (SS(N)-571) and participated in a NATO convoy escort exercise In European waters. Bob was eventually stationed in Key West, Florida and moved his wife and son there. Before his discharge from the Navy in 1956 he asked a friend if he knew a good civilian electronics company. He was given the a name and address for IBM and submitted a resume. He didn't recognize the name and didn't realize that he was submitting he resume directly to IBM founder Thomas Watson, Sr. Mr. Watson was so impressed that the resume was addressed to him personally that he called his manager in Miami and instructed him to travel to Key West and hire Bob on the spot. Bob was discharged from the Navy on 20 February 1956 in Key West and joined IBM on the same day. Bob spent over thirty years with IBM being assigned first to Birmingham, Alabama then Decatur, Alabama. He loved water sports and always had a boat. In the 1960's he did quite a bit of "ski jumping" when ramps were readily available. When the Apollo moon project started he was assigned to Huntsville, Alabama. He once introduced his son Larry to Dr. Wernher von Braun at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville. NASA presented him a commemorative plaque containing moon rock in appreciation for his support. Bob used his VA benefits to attend flight school and attained his private pilot's license. He was an avid flyer and used to rent planes to fly the family from Huntsville to Clarksville on vacations. He owned a number of small planes over the years and used them to fly to business meetings, frequently taking his son Larry along for company. Throughout his career with IBM he was always looking for the opportunity to return to Arkansas. Finally, in 1970, he was promoted to Regional Service Manager and moved to Pine Bluff, Arkansas. In 1972 he was attempting to load a boat onto a trailer in his back yard when the rope broke and struck him on the head causing the loss of his right eye. He was later moved to Rogers, Arkansas to support the Wal-Mart effort and finally retired in February of 1986. After retirement, he continued for some time as a consultant. After retirement he built a house near Ozone, Johnson County, Arkansas and later moved to Clarksville. He continued his interest in flying and started a small business rebuilding vintage aircraft for resale. On 20 October 1988 Dean suffered a cranial aneurism while cooking dinner and died within hours in St. Mary's Hospital, Russellville, Pope County, Arkansas. After Dean's death he remarried to Elzada Cowan, daughter of Robert Thomas Cowan and Cora M. Higgins. Bob and Dean are both buried in Oakland Cemetery, Johnson County, Arkansas.

Children of Bob Kraus and Dean Sexton are:

1. Larry Robert Kraus, born in Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas.

2. Michael Wayne Kraus, born in Key West, Monroe County, Florida.

3. Joseph Edward Kraus, born in Decatur, Morgan County, Alabama.

Bibliography

• 1930 Federal Census, AR, Johnson County, Clarksville, Ward 3, Spadra Township, Johnson Street, page 246a (Gomer Kraus)
• 1988 Obituary, The Graphic, Clarksville, Arkansas, Wednesday, 26 October 1988 (Dean Kraus)
• 2005 Obituary, The Graphic, Clarksville, Johnson County, Arkansas, 26 January 2005 (Robert L. Kraus)
• 2005 Obituary, Southwest Times Record, Sebastian County, Arkansas, 26 Jan 2005 (Robert L. Kraus)
• Grave Markers, Oakland Cemetery, Johnson County, Arkansas