Former pastor of Emmanuel United Church of Christ, Ralph Quellhorst, 82, died June 23, 2020.
He was born in New Bremen, Ohio in 1937. Ralph is the son of the late Clarence and Aurelia Quellhorst. He graduated from Heidelberg University in 1959 with B.A degree in Speech, a B. Div. from Eden Theological Seminary in 1962, M. Div. from Eden Theological Seminary in 1974, and D. Min. in 1976 from Eden Theological Seminary. Rev. Dr. Quellhorst was a retired minister in the United Church of Christ.
He served in many capacities throughout his career. He started his career as a local church pastor at Emmanuel United Church of Christ, Bluffton, where he served from 1962 to 1967. During this time he also served as an adjunct professor at Ohio Northern from 1963-1965.
Having personally experienced the devastation of a tornado that destroyed the parsonage where his family lived in Bluffton in 1965, he was an advocate for the establishment of the Disaster Response Ministry [now Disaster Ministries] as a ministry of the United Church of Christ.
In 1967 until 1975, Quellhorst was an Associate Association Minister for Northwest Ohio, Ohio Conference and the Associate for Leadership Development for the Ohio Conference, United Church of Christ. In 1975 he served as an adjunct professor at Eden Theological Seminary in Webster Groves, Missouri.
In 1975, Rev. Dr. Quellhorst became an associate for the Office for Church Life and Leadership, United Church of Christ in New York City. During this time he also served as an adjunct professor in the New York Theological Seminary.
From 1982-1992, Quellhorst served as Indiana /Kentucky Conference Minister, United Church of Christ. From 1993-2003, Rev. Dr. Quellhorst served as the Ohio Conference Minister and Executive, United Church of Christ. Quellhorst retired in 2003.
He served on Heidelberg University Board of Trustees for over 30 years. He also served on various other boards during his lifetime. One award he received was the John Calvin Award for Humanitarian work which was presented at the 44th World Congress of the Hungarian Reformed churches in Budapest, Hungary.
He also represented the United Church of Christ in Sri Lanka, the Ukraine, Guatemala, Belize, and throughout the United States. Rev. Dr. Quellhorst lived for 18 years of his life with Parkinson’s disease gracefully accepting the limitations that the progressing disease afforded him.
Rev. Dr. Quellhorst was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ and Chapel Hill Community, a United Church Home, at the time of his death.
He is proceeded in death by his parents and his wife Sue, in 2014. He is survived by his daughters: Mindy (Jeff), Cindy (Harry), Pam (Chris), and his grandsons: Brad, Rob, AJ, Andy (Miranda). There will be a private graveside service now and a celebration of his life to follow, when larger groups are safe to gather. Memorials may be given to Heidelberg University, Eden Theological Seminary and United Church Homes.
To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Rev. Dr. Ralph C. Quellhorst visit www.schneebergerfuneral.com, Schneeberger Funeral Home, 2222 Fulton Road, N.W., Canton, OH 44709.
