Ralph Rodolphus Hepburn

     Ralph Rodolphus Hepburn married Ida K. Duchemin.¹ Ralph Rodolphus Hepburn was born on 11 April 1896 at Somerville, Middlesex Co, Massachusetts.¹ He was the son of James Price Hepburn and Elizabeth May Frasier. Ralph Rodolphus Hepburn died on 16 May 1948 at Indianapolis, Marion Co, Indiana, at age 52; Ralph was said to have died during tryouts at the Indianapolis Speedway.^2,1 He was buried on 22 May 1948 at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Glendale, Los Angeles Co, California.^3,4
     "...Ralph Rodolphus Hepburn did race at the Indianapolis 500 for many years. In 1947 he drove an experimental car (NOVI) that was a V-8, front wheel drive car that was quite different from the normal Indy 4-cylinder Offenhauser powered cars. He dropped out of the 1947 race due to a broken oil line.
In 1948, he was 50 years old and was ready to give up racing but the scheduled driver for the NOVI car, after driving a few laps, said he would not drive the car due to it's erratic handling. My Uncle Ralph said he would drive the car again and in a time trial prior to the race crashed at high speed and died instantly.
The family of my grandfather, James Price Hepburn, decided not to tell him about his son's death due to his age and health condition. However, he heard about his son's death on the radio and died within a few days after hearing the news. Both Ralph and James were buried simultaneously at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, Los Angeles County, California."⁴