Ralph Flanders

Ralph N. Flanders

1919-2010 EAST MONTPELIER, VT Ralph Norris Flanders, 91, of East Montpelier, died on April 6, 2010, at Rowan Court after an extended illness.

Born on Feb. 23, 1919, in Rochester, N.Y., Ralph grew up in Springfield, Vt., and was the son of engineer and designer Ernest V. Flanders and nephew of Senator Ralph E. Flanders.

Ralph studied sociology, philosophy and engineering at Middlebury College, then served during WW II in the 10th mountaineering division 85th regiment in Italy. Upon his return on Mar. 2, 1946, he married Anne Christine Lawson of Dundee, N.Y.

He finished his course work at the University of Vermont. Ralph studied math and physics and wrote his philosophy thesis titled "Martin Buber's Conception of the Religious" while at Boston University, where he received a Masters of Arts degree in 1966.

Ralph briefly taught physics and math at Chelsea High School and then at Vermont Technical College. Ralph edited and wrote for "The Vanguard" a small nonprofit advocacy publication where he served on the Board of Directors.

Ralph received an award for his advocacy and work collecting all laws related to the handicapped, abstracting, and indexing them.

Upon his death, Ralph, a devoted Christian and religious seeker, was a member of Saint Augustine's in Montpelier.

A passionate lover of God and the Church, Ralph passed on to his children his appreciation for music, art, literature, hiking, gardening, swimming and involvement withcommunity.

Predeceased by his beloved wife, Anne C. Flanders, with whom he fathered nine children, he is survived by Jonathan E. Flanders and wife, Nancy, and their children, Rhys and Darrel of Troy, N.Y.; Mark G. Flanders and partner, Roger Loeb, of Detroit, Mich.; Naomi A. Flanders and daughter, Esther Nemethy of East Montpelier; Deborah C. Flanders and fiancé, Timothy Foley, of Burlington; Elizabeth H.F. Bissell and her husband, Richard Bissell, and their children, Isaac and Mary Clare of Putney; Eunice M. Flanders and daughter, Brittany A. Wells, of Ashland, Mass.; Lois E. Flanders of East Montpelier; James W. Flanders of Plainfield, N.J.; as well as grandson, Neil T.S. Flanders of East Montpelier, son of second born and predeceased son, Timothy E. Flanders.

FUNERAL NOTICE: Funeral arrangement handled by Barber & Lanier's at 139 Main Street, Montpelier, VT. Wake hours are 5 p.m. followed by a funeral at 8 p.m., Sunday, Apr. 11. The burial at 10 a.m. on Monday, Apr. 12 at Plain-Mont Cemetery in Plainfield, Vt.