Ralph A. Swanson

Chances are that if you visited the Abington Hospital Emergency Room on a Thursday over the last two decades, you likely crossed paths with Ralph. He volunteered there for 25 years – up until his 88th year and only when COVID forced all volunteer efforts to halt. By then, he had amassed 6,000 hours of volunteering and was well known and loved by the hospital staff.

His interest in volunteering in a medical setting was sparked years earlier when he was trained as a medic in the Army during 1954-1956.

These forays into medical settings bookended quite a different career path. His life-long profession was as a Senior Research Scientist for American Olean Tile Company in Lansdale and Quakertown, PA, where he helped develop a highly durable specialty tile used in tunnels and a type of quarry tile that is still widely used today in many restaurants and public spaces. He began at American Olean shortly after he graduated from Alfred University with a degree in ceramic engineering.

Ralph passed away, at the age of 90, on Monday, November 22, 2021, in Maple Glen, PA, surrounded by family after a short battle with cancer. He is preceded in death by his parents, C. Walter & Lottie (Lassell), his first wife, Dolores (Riederer), and his second wife, Christine (Yarnall). He will be greatly missed by his sons, Eric and Missy, Andy and Cindy, Steve and Yasemin, and his stepdaughters, Larisa and Al Hubbs, and Leslie Libby; as well as his 8 grandchildren, Alex, Annie, Ryan, Abby, Emma, Camille, Christy, and Scott. He will also be missed by his brothers, Carl and Shirley, Roger and Pat, and Sam and Joyce, and his many nieces and nephews, and friends from Lehman Memorial United Methodist Church where he participated in the choir, bible study, the property committee and many volunteer efforts.

Ralph grew up in New York City (Queens), and for more than 50 years lived in Chalfont and Maple Glen, PA. Ralph enjoyed swimming, reading, traveling, and numerous trips to Halfmoon Lake in New Hampshire with extended family.

Relatives and friends are invited to his Memorial Service, given by his good friend Pastor Nancy Ludwig, on Saturday, Dec. 18. Visitation with the family will extend from 9 a.m. and until the time of his Memorial Service at 10:30 a.m. at Lehman Memorial United Methodist Church, 300 S. York Road, Hatboro, PA which will be followed by a private Interment. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to either Lehman at the above address or to Abington Health Center Home Hospice Program, 2510 Maryland Road, Suite 250, Willow Grove, PA, 19090-0520.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ralph A. Swanson, please visit our floral store.