Ralph L. Sabine

The Reverend Ralph L. Sabine, 89, of Somersworth passed away August 9, 2004 in Presque Isle, Maine following a brief illness. He was born March 27, 1915 in Norton, New Brunswick, Canada, the middle son of 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 in the year his father was President of the Alliance. It was very special for him to have his father preach the ordination sermon and sign his ordination certificate. IN HIS LIFE: Ralph and his wife Mary started their ministry in the Reformed Baptist Church, and continued it 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. In the N.H. Conference he served pastorates in Monroe and North Monroe, Canaan, VT and Pittsburg, Bethlehem and Whitefield, and Exeter and East Kingston. After official retirement in June 1980, he and Mary remained active in ministry, especially through visitation on the shut-ins and elderly in nursing homes and hospitals for St. John�s UMC where he served as Associate Pastor Emeritus. Ralph and Mary greatly enjoyed spending their summers with family and friends at their cottage at the Wesleyan Riverside Campground near Presque Isle, Maine. They celebrated many special anniversaries at the Campground 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 parents and his older brother John and sister-in-law Lulia Sabine. In addition to his loving wife of almost 62 years, Mary, he is survived by sons Ralph and wife Norine of Sanford, ME, Stephen and wife Brenda of Newington, N.H., daughters Mary-Elizabeth McKay and husband Steven of Ellicott City, MD, Lois McDivitt and husband Bill of Presque Isle, ME, Jacquelyn Timme and husband Stephen of Port Orchard, WA, and Carolyn Sabine and husband Jim Kottaridis of Somersworth, N.H., 13 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren, his brother Ronald, sisters-in-law Winnie Sabine and Frances Duron, and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held at 3 P.M. on August 14th at St. John�s United Methodist Church, 28 Cataract Avenue, Dover, New Hampshire. Interment will be in Woodstock, N.B., Canada. Donations may be made in his name to the memorial fund at St. John�s UMC.