Ralph Farmer
February 9,1932 ~ March 27, 2026
Ralph Samuel Farmer was born in South Bend, Indiana on February 9th, 1932, the second of four children to parents, William and Helen Farmer. He passed away in Medicine Hat, Alberta on March 27th, 2026, at the age of 94 years. Ralph was gifted with a good scholastic mind, so much so, that he skipped two grades in his early childhood years making him the youngest in his grade twelve graduating class. Originally, Ralph had wanted to be a doctor but two events early in his life altered that decision. The first was the untimely death of his neighbour’s little girl. Ralph was asked to be a pallbearer at her funeral. Secondly, a promise he made to God if only he would spare Ralph’s younger brother, John, who had become deathly ill. John Farmer recovered and Ralph kept and fulfilled the promise he had made to God. These circumstances ultimately led him to become a minister of the gospel and a missionary to Africa. Ralph met Gertrude Reimchen from Wetaskiwin, Alberta at Warner Pacific Bible College in Oregon in 1952. She also had a desire to be a missionary and they were married on August 6, 1954 in Wetaskiwin. They were blessed with a daughter, Sheryl Marie Farmer on August 28, 1957 in Cranbrook, B.C. In 1959, they packed their belongings and moved to Tanzania, East Africa where they served as missionaries until 1972. Africa was the highlight of their lives and it was there that their son, Grant Timothy Farmer, was born on June 29, 1961, in Arusha, Tanzania. From 1972 onwards, Ralph fulfilled the remainder of his ministerial life through pastoral work and evangelism in various parts of the U.S.A., Canada, Grand Cayman Islands and Haiti. He also served as a board member and facilitator for The World Missionary Fellowship of Canada. His dual role included communications and financial officer in which he eagerly promoted Tanzanian church and distrubuted finances for the continuation of the work. Outside of work, Ralph enjoyed hunting and fishing as well as going for occasional drives in the countryside. He especially loved going to the post office, often two or three times daily, to check the mail for letters from Africa and to see if any of the very many Churches and individual supporters of the World Missionary Fellowship had sent funds. Ralph is survived by his son, Grant and his wife, Monika; grandchildren, Julia (Darren) George, Jayda (Steve) Martens and Jessa (Tyler) Weimer as well as five great-grandchildren, Evie and Koda Weimer, Jack and Bishop George and Reuben Martens. Ralph was predeceased by his beloved wife, Gertrude in 2019 and his daughter, Sheryl in 2023. The family is grateful that Ralph is now in a better place where there is no more pain and suffering. This place called heaven is what his life long work was all about. He is not only reunited with his immediate family and loved ones but also countless lives from Africa who came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ through the promise Ralph made as a young boy to be a lifelong servant of God. To our dad and grandpa, we say. “ Well done thou good and faithful servant and great is your reward! We will see you again.” A private celebration of Ralph’s life has held. Interment followed at Hillside Cemetery. (Condolences may be expressed by visiting www.cooksouthland.com). Honoured to serve the family is Cook Southland Funeral Chapel, Crematorium & Reflections Reception Facility, 901 – 13 Street S.W., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 4V4. Telephone 403-527-6455
- Date : 2026-03-27
- Location : Medicine Hat, Alberta