Smucker, Ralph R. (d. 1975)

Mennonite Weekly Review obituary: 1975 Jun 5 p. 2

Birth date:

text of obituary:

Retired Pastor, Missionary Dies

Goshen, Ind. — Funeral services for Rev. Ralph R. Smucker of Goshen, retired pastor and missionary to India, were conducted Monday forenoon, May 19, at the Prairie Street Mennonite Church in Elkhart. Rev. Russell Krabill and Rev. J. D. Graber officiated.

Rev. Smucker died unexpectedly on May 16 while fishing in the Elkhart River near his home.

A native of Aurora, Neb., he was a 1928 graduate of Goshen College and attended Northern Baptist Seminary in Chicago. From 1920 to 1936 he served under the Mennonite Board of Missions in India, where he gave leadership in erecting a hospital and also engaged in leprosy work.

He had lived in this area since his return from India, serving as pastor of the Yellow Creek Mennonite Church for 10 years and later as pastor of the North Goshen Mennonite Church.

His first marriage was to Alma Albright of Tiskilwa, Ill. She died in 1944. in 1950 he married Fannie Shantz at Elkhart. She survives with two sons, Dr. Ernest E. Smucker and Prof. Arthur A. Smucker, both of Goshen; 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren; and two sisters, Mrs. Cora Culp of Goshen and Mrs. Alta Ringenberg of Tiskilwa.