Ralph Thomas Dill, 77, of Philipsburg died Saturday, Oct. 10, 2015 at the James E. Van Zandt Veterans Administration Medical Center, Altoona.
Born Jan. 10, 1938 in Swedesboro, NJ, he was a son of the late Lester and Lillian (Wilson) Dill.
Mr. Dill was a member of the Future Farmers of America, Glee Club, state chorus and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He was a Boy Scout Master in Rutherford, NJ and Bristol, NH.
He served on the Bristol, NH school board for three years. He was also a member of the Hebron/Groton, NH Volunteer Fire Department and of the food processors union with General Foods of Dover, Del.
For more than 50 years, Mr. Dill was a Sunday school teacher and youth worker. He served as an elder and deacon in various churches and was a soloist for many weddings, funerals and church services.
Along with his late wife, he served as a missionary in five foreign countries and various states in the United States.
During his lifetime, Mr. Dill worked on dairy farms, the King Cole processing plant and Public Service Electric & Gas of New Jersey. He served for three years as police chief with the town of Groton, NH.
He was maintenance supervisor at Camp Berea, Bristol, NH, a boiler installer and repairman, appliance delivery and repairman and meter reader for New Hampshire Electric Co-op.
Mr. Dill was millwright and supervisor with General Foods of Dover, Del., and office eagle at the Dover Air Force Base. He also held jobs as a licensed electrician, licensed plumber, logger and painter.
He served in the U.S. Navy as an electrician’s mate and in the torpedo crew. He was also the assistant chaplain aboard the submarine USS Entemedor.
Mr. Dill was a 1956 graduate of the Felton High School, Felton, Del.
On Jan. 17, 1959 in Wallington, NJ, he married the former Judith A. Peters. She preceded him in death on Oct. 18, 2008.
He is survived by a daughter, Coleen Gurkas and her husband, Joe of Kearny, NJ and a son, Pastor John T. Dill and his wife, Gwen of Philipsburg; a sister, Virginia A. Wilkins of Frederica, Del.; and a brother, Lester Franklin Dill and his wife, Sandy of Seaford, Del.
He is also survived by three grandchildren, Joey and Daniel Gurkas of Kearny, NJ and Sarah Dill of Philipsburg.
Funeral services will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, at the New Life Center, Philipsburg, with Pastor John T. Dill, son of the deceased, officiating. Burial will be at Sharon Hills Cemetery in Hartly, Del.
Friends will be received from 6 p.m. -7 p.m. Friday at the New Life Center, Philipsburg.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the New Life Center, P.O. Box 57, Philipsburg, PA 16866.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Beezer-Heath Funeral Home, Philipsburg.
Family and friends may sign the guestbook and share memories at beezerheathfh.com.