Date of death:
Sunday, September 17, 2023
Link to online obituary:
A. Ralph Barlow passed away on Sept. 17, 2023, following a brief illness.
He was the son of August Ralph and Kathryn Barlow. He was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Evone Anderson Barlow.
Living in retirement in Lincoln, their principal joy in life was their family. He was the former Pastor of Beneficent Congregational Church, United Church of Christ in downtown Providence. Ralph served the congregation for 33 years, first as Teaching Minister, beginning in 1964, then as Pastor starting in 1970. In those years, Ralph was active in social causes, particularly as a voice of protest against the Vietnam War. During his pastorate at Beneficent Church, a Chinese-speaking ministry was initiated. He also was one of the founders of the Pastoral Counseling Center of Greater Providence, a founding member of PICA (Providence In-Town Churches Association, a consortium of downtown Providence parishes), and served on the board of Steere House as president in the 1980s.
Actively engaged in outreach to youth and their families, Ralph was a member of the Mouthpiece Coffee House ministries in the 1960s and ‘70s. A graduate of Haverford College and Yale Divinity School, Ralph spearheaded his divinity school Class of 1959’s 50th Anniversary as chair of fundraising for a Global Opportunities Fund. A published author in the fields of pastoral psychology and social ethics, Ralph was a contributor to the Commentary pages of The Providence Journal, as well as to journals and books. He was an active member of the Rotary Club of Providence and Dodeka, a symposium of people dedicated to the coherence of heart and mind.
He is survived by Paul M. and Lora K. Barlow, Andrew R. Barlow, Ann K. Barlow and Gail A. Royley; grandsons John W. Barlow and Paul A. Barlow, a niece, and several nephews. He was the brother of the late Elizabeth B. Wood.