Ralph G. Stoddard, 81, passed away at the Berlin Health and Rehabilitation Center on Thursday, April 4, 2013. Born in Brooklyn, NY, on May 14, 1931, he was the son of the late Ralph E. and G. Alice (Conley) Stoddard. On July 26, 1954, Ralph married the former Anne Dermer in Plymouth, MA.
Ralph was a 1949 graduate of Rockland (MA) High School and continued his education at Brown University where he was a philosophy major and a member of the Air Force ROTC. Following his graduation from Brown in 1953, he continued post-graduate work there. In June 1955, he received his commission, thereafter serving in the U.S. Air Force until 1959 as a navigator on an air rescue seaplane, the SA16 (Albatross).
Making his home with Anne in Manhasset, Long Island, NY, Ralph began his career with Remington Rand Univac in data processing. He accepted a position as a programmer with Young and Rubicam Advertising, working his way up to systems manager and designer. Later, he was employed by the New York State Insurance Fund in data processing. He retired in 1994 and followed his dream to come to the Mad River Valley, settling in Waitsfield where he and Anne have made their home since.
Ralph enjoyed an eclectic range of interests and activities. As a young man he enjoyed tennis and running and at all times loved a varied scope of music that included classical, ethnic, folk and rock. He was also an accomplished artist specializing in large portraits and collages. Ever the handyman, he found great pleasure in home remodeling, was an avid reader of nonfiction and a devoted fan of Brown football. Since living in The Valley he was a member of Waitsfield United Church of Christ.
Ralph is survived by his wife of 58 years, Anne Stoddard of Waitsfield; their children, Paul Stoddard of De Kalb, IL; Elinor Stoddard and her children, Emily and Benjamin, of Stratford, CT; and James Stoddard and his wife, Sinta, and their children, Julia and Claire, of Harvard, MA; as well as nieces, nephews and extended family.
A service celebrating the life of Ralph Stoddard will be held from Waitsfield United Church of Christ in Waitsfield on Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow in the church dining room. Later burial will take place in the Waitsfield Common Cemetery. Assisting the family is the Perkins-Parker Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Waterbury. To send online condolences please visit us at www.perkinsparker.com and Facebook.
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