Arrangements for the funeral of Ralph Smith
Wednesday 17th March 2021, 12.15pm
Ralph’s family will be attending a ceremony on Wednesday 17th March to say goodbye to him.
Sadly due to the current coronavirus pandemic, funerals are being limited in a crematorium, so the service is by invite only.
A live webcast of the service however will be available for those people who are unable to attend.
To access the webcast follow the link to the Wesley Media website and input the username and password details below.
Order ID: 84364
Password: uypcngcr
You can login to the Wesley website at any time to view a test connection (and we strongly recommend you do this) but you’ll only be able to view the Live Webcast between approx. 12.15pm and 1pm on Wednesday 17th March.
You will also be able to view the service ‘on demand’ for 7 days once the service is complete.
Digital Order of Service
You can download a digital order of service by clicking on this link.
Please share this page with anyone you feel should be aware of Ralph’s funeral.
Ralph’s family welcome any tributes, words of remembrance and stories about him so do feel free to leave any messages at the bottom of this webpage. (Please note comments are moderated so do not go live immediately)
In the meantime, please enjoy the short slideshow of Ralph below.
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Friendly, funny, thoughtful, knowledgeable and kind. Ralph was a lovely neighbour and it is a priviledge to have known him.
love from Bobby, Adrian, Sian and Kieran Child (formerly at 146)
I worked with Ralph at Sandwell PCT on information systems – He was unfailingly helpful and ready with a quip or two but always aware of the bigger picture. A great loss. Keith Matthews
I admired Ralph as a good supportive husband to Emma and the best hands-on Dad I have ever known. RIP, you were taken much too soon.
Ralph was an all round good egg, and one of the kindest and funniest people I have ever known.
Thank you for sharing these lovely photographs. I have many happy memories of Ralph from college days.. Sending love to all his family.
Ralph and I would chat about our allotments and our shared interests in food, public health and bicycling. He was warm, enthusiastic, yet sensible and generous with his understanding (I picked his brains, quite a lot). I miss him.
The GIS King. Taught so many so much. A gentle talented man.
A real loss. Caring, kind and considerate. I knew him from Birmingham University and Sandwell.
Ralph was a great bloke and I had huge respect for him. He is going to be sorely missed by many
The slide show sums up the conversation I often had with Ralph. His dear family, his motorbike and his allotment. Ralph had a caring, helpful nature and guided me through the early years of my public health intelligence career. He will be truly missed.
Ralph was an all round great guy. A wonderful colleague always willing to share his insights and expertise. Kind and caring – he will be sorely missed.
Only two amigos left me and Matt sad day
Good friend to me for many years. Miss him for footy bantz and in years gone by for lifts in car and still have his spare garden tools in my garage.
I will miss Ralph so much from the allotment where I have know him since I started mine 15 or so years ago. My memories will be of a truly warm and good hearted person who always had time for a catch up. His parting will surely leave a great hole is the lives of his loved ones and I wish them all strength and love going forwards.
Memories/highlights/lowlights from a Minneapolis, Minnesota to San Francisco, California road trip with Ralph and my brother Phil.
-Probably not entirely legal off road camping on the amazingly harder than concrete ground of the South Dakota Badlands.
-Pulling into a campground near Little Bighorn, Montanna after dark. We didn’t realize we pitched a tent next to a train track with trains passing by all night and blaring there tremendously loud horns.
-Fun at Wall Drug, South Dakots, the Beautiful Black Hills, Devil’s Tower, the Grand Canyon 1and a night of industrial noise seeing Savage Republic in San Fran.
-A planned nonstop drive back to Minneapolis derailed with car issues in Wells, Nevada. After a near sleepless night for all, daylight revealed it was the car air conditioner, which we disconnected and proceeded on our way to arrive 48 hours after our departure from San Francisco and about four hours before I had to be at work.
The type of good times that remain priceless and stay with you a lifetime. Thanks for these and many other great memories Ralph!
Ralph was a valued and greatly respected colleague, who was always generous in providing support and produced excellent work. I was very privileged to work with Ralph at Sandwell.
His death is a tremendous loss to the public health community.
I haven’t seen Ralph more than once or twice since I moved down under 20 years ago, but the memories from college days at Sutton and beyond are with me always. Emma, my deepest sympathy to you and your family, he really was a genuinely lovely guy.
Ralph will be greatly missed, he was on the interview panel for the job I applied for back in the day of CIU. Ralph was always so full of joy and happy to talk with anyone. I remember when he came for an interview he said to me its nice to be greeted by a nice friendly face who I know, those words will stay with me.
A real loss for Public Health, such a great, friendly and knowledgeable person and will be missed.
Ralph was a lovely neighbour and was first to talk to us when we moved in a few years ago. He was always happy to lend us some tools or just stop for a chat. I’m sad we never got to go for that pint and to hear more of his stories. At a particularly difficult time to lose someone, our thoughts are with Emma and the girls.
A good friend from the days when we met at Leicester Uni doing our Masters in GIS together. A wonderful and fun bloke with lots of time for everyone. He will will be missed a lot.
Ralph was the best neighbour you could ask for.
He was caring, funny and intelligent.
We will miss him loads.
Love Matt, Donna, Nate and Ava.x
Ralph was head of the team that recruited me into Public Health in Sandwell- thanks for giving me a great 7 years and counting at Sandwell and thanks for supporting my development. He will be sorely missed in the Public Health community as a person that did his best to support the development of individuals and systems. I missed his support and banter in the office. I randomly mentioned I had walked near the Cat and Fiddle near Buxton and it brought back nice memories of a great biking route and trip for him.
I know how much he loved his family and supporting his daughter with the disability (I hope described correctly) and I hope his values will be remembered and lived in everyone’s lives going forward.
Am lucky to have worked with and known Ralph, he contributed so much to the WM public health community.
RIP Ralph. Departed too early, I’ll not forget his unique and infectious laugh. Sincere condolences to Emma & family, take care.
A lovely service, thank you.
It’s hard to find the words, but what a wonderful man. Not only was he your ‘go to’ guy for all things data, but each conversation – professional or personal – had you leaving with a smile on your face. I will miss him and our chats.
It is a huge loss to Public Health in the West Midlands and there is a Ralph-sized hole in the Bham Public Health family. He will be missed but remembered fondly.
Sending so much love to Emma, the girls and all Ralph’s family and friends xx
We remember Ralph with affection, going back to the days when Tara and Emily were babies. Warm, humorous, and very caring with the children – at gatherings, Ralph’s patience and sense of fun meant he would sometimes have with a bunch of children insistently drawing him into their games. Thinking of the family, with love.
I have many lovely memories of Ralph mostly from our college days .He was always so kind and great fun to be with.
Partying at their house …. laughing and dancing until the early hours…is how I’ll always remember him.
I first knew Ralph when he was the GIS king in the Cancer Intelligence Unit and he was known for appreciating a good map. Over the years we often met for coffee and put the West Midlands Public Health world to rights. I was so pleased when we became colleagues in Birmingham. Ralph was funny, kind and an all-round good bloke. He will be so sadly missed.
It was always good to see Ralph at the allotment: he was friendly, cheerful and helpful, and good to chat to. We will miss him very much. So sorry for you great loss.
To my good good buddy Ralph. I wish you well on your new journey. May your love, kindness, humour, smile, & general fabulousness always be remembered: thank you for being there to celebrate all my life milestones & for including, Dave, me, Maggie & Dylan in yours. Much love to Emma & the girls, we are here, always, when you need us. Xxx
Very sad to hear of Ralph”s sudden death. Deepest sympathy to Emma and all of Ralph”s extended family. I have some lovely memories of Ralph from college days at Sutton and the early 90s in Brum. I can recall him laughing mostly and his great sense of humour. He was also a good friend to me when I moved back to B’ham in 1991. Sorry to say we lost touch after I left B’ham 22 years but I will always remember Ralph as sound, kind, funny and clever, and motorbike loving of course. I know he will be deeply missed by all his family and friends. Rest in peace comrade.
Elinor, Ralph’s sister here. How lovely to read these smashing comments on his birthday. Thanks very much to all of you.