Ralph Thomas Embree

Beloved husband, father, brother, and son died on January 19, 2025, at home surrounded by family. The cause of death was Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a debilitating illness which he handled with courage and grace.

Ralph was the son of the late Ainslie and Suzanne Embree. He was born and lived his early life in India, where his parents were teaching missionaries. His middle and high school years were spent in New York City, when his father taught at Columbia University. A 1968 graduate of the Collegiate School, Ralph was known as an adventurous spirit, often the instigator of fun and scrapes, and a good natured "bad" boy who left fond memories in his wake. As a young adult he moved to San Francisco, immersing himself in its vibrancy. He graduated from San Francisco State University while working a variety of jobs from carpenter, longshoreman, retail sales, to monitor with the early California Coastal Commission. Professionally, he rose up the ranks from local bike messenger to Executive Vice President for East Coast operations at Dynamex, an international logistics company. In 1991, he moved from California to Northern Virginia which was home for the next 30+ years. He loved being outdoors: off-road mountain biking, exploring tidal marshes in California, hiking in Manassas battlefield park and along Skyline Drive, and even doing routine yard work. He had wide-ranging knowledge and loved reading history, particularly about strategic military battles and ancient civilizations.

Ralph's greatest joys were his two sons, Peter and Andrew. Being their father and watching them grow into the fine men they have become was an unmatched source of delight and pride.

Ralph loved well, was well loved in return, and will be dearly missed by his family and friends. He is survived by his loving wife of 18 years, Diana Orantes Embree, his sons Peter (Ayesha and Siraj) and Andrew Embree, his stepdaughter Nicole Ceresi, his sister Margot Embree Fisher, his nieces, cousins and brothers/sisters-in-law. A celebration of his life will be held in the spring.

The family wishes to thank Drs. Alexander Pantelyat and Jee Bang at Johns Hopkins and the Capital Caring Health hospice staff for their compassionate care and support during Ralph's illness. In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to the Johns Hopkins Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders Center (https://secure.jhu.edu/form/neuro) or Capital Caring Health (https://capitalcaring-tributelights.funraise.org).