'Ralph the Twinsburg Turkey' trotted through town, made headlines before meeting his demise

For months, a stray turkey, affectionately dubbed "Ralph the Twinsburg Turkey" by the community, had paraded around town — sometimes hanging out in the Starbucks parking lot just south of the Town Square, sometimes causing drivers consternation by strolling down the middle of Darrow Road.

He had eluded wildlife officials sent to capture and relocate him to safety, and one of numerous social media posts about his activities describes how a recent passerby warded off a pair of men attempting to capture him for unknown reasons.

The debate around town increased: Was he lost and seeking companionship from humans rather than his own kind? Was he a young tom booted from his flock for insubordination? Was he even male?

Others speculated he had been displaced by construction near Wilcox Primary School, where he had regularly been seen.

"He's gotta be relocated for his own safety. This only ends with either Ralph causing a bad accident, or him getting hit by a car. We all love Ralph, but this isn't safe," said a contributor on a Facebook page dedicated to the bird.

"Why not just leave him alone?" another insisted, and one fan suggested the city post a "Slow − Turkey Crossing" sign.

But debates over Ralph's well-being have come to an end. An obituary was posted on Ralph's Facebook page, to which 1,600 followers had flocked between Aug. 1 and the bird's demise Wednesday morning.

"The story of Ralph is not just that of a bird, but of an enduring spirit, reminding us all of the unexpected beauty that can emerge when we embrace the unconventional," stated the author, who did not return a message to the Beacon Journal.

As some online commentators had suggested would happen, Ralph's habit of walking into traffic irrevocably ruffled his feathers: He was found hit by a car on Route 91 near Wilcox Primary School, where children had gotten used to seeing him.

Fortunately, the buses had not yet arrived for school, said Mark Gutowski, communications administrator for the city.

"He showed up four months ago, actually walking on State Route 82," Gutowski said. "He was in the crosswalk ironically, but recently he's been just holding still, you know, or actually walking down the center of State Route 91.

"I don't think it's really really been an issue other than a lot of honking horns and slowing traffic a little bit," he said. "There's been there's been no accidents or, you know, road rage or anything like that, from what I know."

Faithful Companion Pet Cremation Services of Twinsburg, which like many in the community had been following Ralph's antics, found out about his death and volunteered to handle his body. The clinic does about 1,000 private pet cremations a month, serving 78 pet clinics within 60 miles of Twinsburg, said manager Katey Hrovat.

"We're so sad," she said, adding she had never seen Ralph in person. "I just followed his Facebook page. He was everywhere."

Prior to the cremation, approval was needed from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' Division of Wildlife, which she said was handled by the Twinsburg Police Department, who delivered the body.

She said the bird's remains were placed in a cherry wood urn and returned to police, who have not said what will be done with it.

Some have proposed creating a holiday in his honor, or another Turkey Trot race, in keeping with the fall season.

Eric Marotta can be reached at emarotta@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Twinsburg community mourns stray turkey that recklessly walked in road