SOMERSWORTH, N.H. – The Reverend Ralph L. Sabine, 89, of Somersworth, N.H., passed away Aug. 9, 2004, in Presque Isle, following a brief illness. He was born March 27, 1915, in Norton, New Brunswick, Canada, the middle son of the Rev. Leonard and Laura (Boyd) Sabine. He felt fortunate to have received his ordination from the Reformed Baptist Church at the same time as his brother Ronald, and to have his father preach the ordination sermon and sign his ordination certificate. Ralph and his wife, Mary (Lilley) of Smyrna Mills started their ministry in the Reformed Baptist Church in 1944, with a pastorate in Calais, followed by pastorates in Crystal and Grand Manan Island, N.B. They continued their ministry in the Church of the Nazarene and, for the last 22 years of full-time ministry, in the New Hampshire Conference of the United Methodist Church. After official retirement in June 1980, he and Mary remained active in ministry, especially through visitation on the shut-ins and elderly for St. John’s UMC in Dover, N.H., where he served as Associate Pastor Emeritus. Ralph and Mary greatly enjoyed spending their summers with family and friends at their cottage at the Riverside Wesleyan Camp near Presque Isle. They celebrated many special anniversaries at Riverside or at home in New Hampshire, including their 40th and 60th (in 2002) anniversary celebrations at which they renewed their vows. Ralph was predeceased by his older brother John. In addition to his loving wife of almost 62 years, he is survived by sons, Ralph, of Sanford, and Stephen, of Newington, N.H.; daughters, Mary-Elizabeth McKay, of Ellicott City, Md., Lois McDivitt, of Presque Isle, Jacquelyn Timme, of Port Orchard, Wash., and Carolyn Sabine, of Somersworth, N.H.; brother, Ronald of Salisbury, N.B.; 13 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 4th at Riverside Wesleyan Camp in Blaine. Interment will be in Woodstock, N.B., Canada. Donations may be made in his name to Riverside Wesleyan Camp.
REV. RALPH L. SABINE
