Ralph Thomas Dill

Ralph Thomas Dill, 77, of Philipsburg died Saturday, October 10, 2015 at the James E. Van Zandt Veterans Administration Medical Center, Altoona. PA.

Born on January 10, 1938 in Swedesboro, N.J., he was a son of the late Lester and Lillian (Wilson) Dill.

Mr. Dill was a member of the Future Farmers of America, Glee Club, state chorus, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. He was also a Boy Scout Master in Rutherford, N.J. and Bristol, N.H., and served on the Bristol, N.H. School Board for three years. Mr. Dill was also a member of the Hebron/Groton, N.H. Volunteer Fire Dept, the food processors union with General Foods of Dover, DE, and for over fifty years was a Sunday school teacher and youth worker. He served as an Elder and Deacon in various churches and was a soloist for many weddings, funerals, and church services. Along with his late wife, he served as a missionary in five foreign countries and various states in the United States.

During his lifetime, Mr. Dill worked on dairy farms, the King Cole processing plant, and Public Service Electric & Gas of New Jersey. He served for three years as police chief with the town of Groton, N.H. He was maintenance supervisor at Camp Berea, Bristol, N.H., a boiler installer and repairman, appliance delivery and repairman, and meter reader for New Hampshire Electric Co-op. Mr. Dill was Millwright and Supervisor with General Foods of Dover, DE, and Office Eagle at the Dover Air Force Base. He also held jobs as a licensed electrician, licensed plumber, logger, and painter. He served in the U.S. Navy as an electricians mate, the torpedo crew, and was the assistant chaplain aboard the submarine USS Entemedor.

Mr. Dill was a 1956 graduate of the Felton High School, Felton, DE.

On January 17, 1959 in Wallington, N.J., he married the former Judith A. Peters. She preceded him in death on October 18, 2008.

He is survived by a daughter, Coleen Gurkas and her husband, Joe of Kearny, N.J. and a son, Pastor John T. Dill and his wife, Gwen of Philipsburg, PA; a sister, Virginia A. Wilkins of Frederica, DE; and a brother, Lester Franklin Dill and his wife, Sandy of Seaford, DE.

He is also survived by three grandchildren, Joey and Daniel Gurkas of Kearny, N.J. and Sarah Dill of Philipsburg, PA.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 16, 2015 at 7 p.m. at the New Life Center, Philipsburg, with Pastor John T. Dill, son of the deceased, officiating. Interment will be at Sharon Hills Cemetery in Hartly, DE.

Friends will be received on Friday from 6 -7 p.m. at the New Life Center, Philipsburg.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the New Life Center, P.O. Box 57, Philipsburg, PA 16866.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Beezer-Heath Funeral Home, Philipsburg, PA

Family and friends may sign the guestbook and share memories at beezerheathfh.com