Rev. Ralph Samuel Burns

Rev. Ralph Samuel Burns, 91, of 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, died at 9:20 a.m. April 20, 2012, in Grace Village Health Care, Winona Lake. He was born Nov. 21, 1920, in Fairview, N.J., to John Henry and Hannah Elizabeth Hartley Burns. On March 31, 1945, in Philadelphia, Pa., he married Ruth Dietz, who died May 21, 2009. He was a graduate of Frankford High School, Philadelphia, after which he attended and graduated from Grace College & Seminary, Winona Lake, as well as the Bible Institute of Pennsylvania. He was a resident of Kosciusko County for the past 41 years, where he was a member of Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church. He served as a pastor for more than 40 years in Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Indiana, and also was a chaplain at Grace Village Retirement Community of Winona Lake. Surviving are a son, Ronald David (and spouse Krista) Burns, Warsaw; a daughter, Rebecca (and spouse Daniel) Gehrke, Warsaw; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sisters and one brother. Services will be at 7 p.m. Monday at Winona Lake Grace Brethren Church, 1200 Kings Highway, Winona Lake, officiated by Pastors Bruce Barlow and Glenn Byers. A private graveside service will take place at Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw. Calling is from 10 a.m. to noon and 2 to 4 p.m. Monday at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw, ***** Memorials may be made to Lakeland Child Evangelism Ministries, P,O. Box 612, Winona Lake, IN 46590; or to Grace Village Retirement Community, 337 Grace Village Drive, Winona Lake, IN 46590. Condolences may be sent via www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com