Birth date: Nov 26, 1940 Death date: Jan 28, 2015
Ralph E. Douglas, a resident of Cherry Hill for 22 years, passed away peacefully on January 28, 2015 at the age of 74 years. Ralph was the beloved husband of Thelma J. (nee Upshaw) for 50 years. Loving father of Michiel D. (Shon) Read Obituary
I have just learned that Ralph passed away. I am grieved. We had lost touch with each other several years after leaving Chicago. We first met when he came to a Civil Rights conference in 1969 in Washington, DC. Ralph was a young school administrator from Cincinnati at that time. We became close friends and later, in the early 1970s, I was able to hire him in a Federal agency in Chicago. It was a big decision to leave his job in Ohio. He became my closest and most loyal friend during those stormy days. We loved each other; shared the same values; and both missed being back in the classroom. Ralph was a master teacher. I am happy to see that he closed out his life teaching students. I pray that Thelma and his family are doing well. God bless all of you. Ralph left a great legacy for all the follow.
I always enjoyed when Ralph and Thelma visited Cincinnati, Ohio. They always brought a loving spirit that I will always cherish. Thelma, Michele and Sheila, I love you very much,
Your cousin,
Sherry (Vanessa's Daughter)
Daddy, wow this is real! Boy do I miss you! It seems so unreal that you are not here. As soon as your grand daughter got all A's you were the first person I called. Then I knew that she would receive a Captain Can Do Recognition Card and some money! As I am here at your house and I read the folders of information on the patents, trade and service marks, business ideas, seminars and more. I get excited that your legacy is on the written page and is explosive and we will insure that Every Vizion will come to pass!! Miss you and love u always!
Thanks for being the best dad a girl could ask for!
Love Michiel
Our 2nd service at Kingsway won't be quite the same without Bro. Ralph as one of the ushers. The last time I was in the Douglas home, Ralph said to me, "What Captain Can Do can't do, God can do." I'm sad for his absence from our world but grateful that he is healthy and whole with Jesus. God gave Ralph the greatest gift of eternal life. I'm sure he's busy encouraging the residents of heaven. My prayers and thoughts are with you, Thelma, Michiel & Shon, Sheila & Destiny and all of the your family. Love & blessings, Pastor Arlena
Poppa Douglas carried himself with such dignity and respect, that I seldom recall anyone calling him only by first name. (Except for by Momma Thelma, of course.) I will always remember him as such: Exceptional.
Poppa always had such loving and powerful words of wisdom, guidance, focus and direction. He embodied integrity and excellence, and gave me a standard to live up to. He would always tell me: "Don't sweat the small stuff". And like always, he was right.
I love you Poppa Douglas, and will carry your advice with me always. I thank the Lord, for allowing me to become a "Douglas". I love you Momma Thelma, and will cherish the times I got to share with you and Poppa. I also look forward to future visits, where we'll share good times with memories of Poppa Douglas.
Michelle, may the Lord be the lifter of your head and grace you with the strength to be weak, and then free and unhindered in His presence.
And Sheila, it's hard for now, and will be for a while. "Trouble may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Let us make Poppa proud, and live our lives to the fullest until we meet Him again.
Thank you Lord, for all the amazing things you did in Poppa Ralph E. Douglas's life. May he be one in which You can stand and proclaim "Well done, good and faithful servant."
Love,
Melissa M.
My father in law was very special man always had wisdom to share and a story to tell. I will never forget him and his life lessons he tought me. Now he gone to a better place where it no more pain, no more suffering. He now in peace with The Lord our God and His spirt is with The Lord and its also lives inside of us let us all learn from him and let his legacy live on. I glad I had known him, he always say it not "quantity of time but quality of time ".
and I can still here him say " how my favorite son in law " and then he laughf and say "get that your my only son in law". I can truly say we all will miss him! He was not just a farther in-law to me, he was like a farther to me. I love you dad
Shon D. Burnett
Dear; Sister Thelma, Michele and Sheila. I'm so sorry for your loss. Brother Ralph was great man of God, who share great wisdom. I was bless to call hem friend my thoughts and prayer are with you. Eliana DaSilva
Dear Sister Thelma, we are so sorry for your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. May the comfort of the Holy Spirit be your peace, the light of Christ guide your steps, and the love of God hold your hand. Tommy, Allie, and children
Aunt Thelma, Michele, and Sheila, may the God of peace comfort you. Uncle Ralph was a Great Man of God that exhibited the love of our Heavenly Father to you all, as a husband and a father. He will be greatly missed and never forgotten. You will always have to read, "The Book of Ralph Douglas", that's engrained in your memories forever. We are living epistles, and our books are being written as well. We will see him again on that Great Day, when we are caught up to meet Jesus in the air! I love you all, and be encouraged and let's celebrate the life that Uncle Ralph lived.
Love Always,
Devita Douglas
