Ralph Arthur Lebold

1934 - 2017  (83 years)

• Name	Ralph Arthur Lebold
  Born	12 May 1934	New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Eby ID Number	Waterloo-211213
  Died	31 Oct 2017	Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Buried	Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada   [1]
  Person ID	I211213	Generations
  Last Modified	7 Nov 2024

  
  

  Father	Elmer A. Lebold,   b. Mar 1908, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 27 Aug 1964, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  (Age ~ 56 years)
  Mother	Catherine G. "Katie" Leis,   b. 19 Mar 1911, Wellesley Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada ,   d. 17 Jan 1995, London, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada  (Age 83 years)
  Married	1929  [2]
  Family ID	F39671	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Eileen Erb
  Last Modified	12 Nov 2024
  Family ID	F58138	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  Obituary of Ralph Arthur Lebold Died, surrounded by the love of his family on Tuesday October 31st, 2017, at Grand River Hospital, Kitchener at the age of 83. Ralph was born May 12th, 1934 in New Hamburg to Elmer and Katie (Leis) Lebold. Loving husband of Eileen (Erb) Lebold of 62 years, married on August 27th, 1955. Father of Connie Bender (Tony), Marvin Lebold, and Cindy Lebold (Scott Beech). Grandpa to Luke (Amelia), Adam (Megan), Jérémie, Juliette, Isaac, Micah, Thomas and Laura. Brother of Marie Jantzi (Clare), Clare Lebold (Gloria). Brother in law to Karen Lebold. Pre-deceased by his parents Elmer and Katie Lebold, brother Floyd Lebold in childhood, brother Harold Lebold, sister Grace Zehr, brother in law Delford Zehr, and nephew Dennis Zehr. Brother in law to Leona Erb, Anna Mae Gascho, Lorene Shantz (Lowell), Ruby Erb, Elmer Erb (Adeline), Norma Zehr, Florence Gascho (Dave), Lloyd Erb (Laurene). Pre-deceased by Mike and Mary Erb, Edna Erb, Lorne Erb, Nelson Erb, Eva and Wes MacKinnon, Allen Gascho, Harold Zehr. Remembered by many Lebold and Erb nieces and nephews. After a grade eight education, Ralph went on to receive the following degrees: Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Mennonite College (1958), Bachelor of Divinity from Goshen College Biblical Seminary (1961), Master of Theology from Crozer Theological Seminary (1968), Doctorate of Ministry from St. Michael's College, University of Toronto (1980). Ralph's career included several leadership roles: Minister at Valleyview Mennonite Church (1961-74), where he initiated the Congregational Supervised Pastoral Education program. Conference Minister (1974-79), serving both the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference and Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec, pre-cursors to Mennonite Church Eastern Canada. President of Conrad Grebel University College (1979-89). Director of Theological Education with Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries (1989-97). Ralph was diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia (1991), which changed his life dramatically. It robbed him of some health and altered his vocational choices. Throughout his career, Ralph was involved in larger church-wide ministry across North America. He was passionate about pastoral ministry, pastoral leadership training, and marriage and family therapy. Ralph was instrumental in getting women pastors into leadership roles in Mennonite churches in Ontario. Ralph was a founder of Hidden Acres Camp and Shalom Counselling. He was a charter member of Waterloo North Mennonite Church. After growing up on a farm, Ralph and Eileen purchased (1970) a "hobby" farm outside Hanover, where he was able to continue his passion for farming until 2000. Erb & Good Family Funeral Home, Waterloo, Ontario ________________ Mourning the Loss of Former President Ralph Lebold by Jen Konkle, Conrad Grebel University College, Waterloo, Ontario With deep sadness, Grebel mourns the passing of Ralph Lebold (1934-2017) on Tuesday, October 31, 2017. Ralph followed Frank H. Epp as the third president of Grebel from 1979 to 1989. Ralph is survived by his wife Eileen, and his children, Cindy and Scott, Connie and Tony, Marvin, and their families. Serving as president at Grebel in a decade of growth and change, Ralph "led from the middle" to increase unity amongst faculty and staff while expanding relationships with the Mennonite constituency. As described in Grebel's 50th anniversary book, Bridging Mind and Spirit, during his presidency Ralph guided the College into an era of maturity and stability. With a new mission statement "that confidently acknowledged Grebel's multiple relationships with church bodies and the public university," he brought stronger connections to the church constituency while increasing funding from the conference. In 2006, Pandora Press published Ralph's autobiography, Strange and Wonderful Paths: Memoirs of Ralph Lebold. Reflecting in this book on his call to the presidency, Ralph wrote, "While I was comfortable enough in dealing with conflict, believed in young people, and was committed to Christian education, I also knew that once some of the conflicts were worked through, the larger task of academic leadership would await me. Would the faculty and the board be comfortable with my leadership?" And indeed, he succeeded in his role, earning the respect of the entire College community. Part of Ralph's legacy included training pastors and leaders for the church. He taught regularly at Grebel, in courses like "Church and Ministry." During his presidency, the College added the Master of Theological Studies degree, which has continued to be an important source of education for church leaders. The role that Ralph played in inter-Mennonite conversations regarding the need for Ontario-based leadership training for pastors was crucial to this development. After earning a grade eight education, Ralph went on to receive the following degrees: Bachelor of Arts from Eastern Mennonite College (1958), Bachelor of Divinity from Goshen College Biblical Seminary (1961), Master of Theology from Crozer Theological Seminary (1968), Doctorate of Ministry from St. Michael's College, University of Toronto (1980). In addition to filling the role of Grebel President, Ralph's career included several other leadership positions: Minister at Valleyview Mennonite Church (1961-74), where he initiated the Congregational Supervised Pastoral Education program; Conference Minister (1974-79), serving both the Western Ontario Mennonite Conference and Mennonite Conference of Ontario and Quebec, precursors to Mennonite Church Eastern Canada; and Director of Theological Education with Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries (1989-97). Reflecting on the loss of this important voice, new Grebel president Marcus Shantz remarked, "I got to know Ralph when I was thirteen years old at Waterloo North Mennonite Church. I always knew that my parents deeply respected Ralph and Eileen, and I developed my own connections with him when I grew older. Very recently, I had two significant discussions with him about Grebel and the role of president. He gave good advice, and I had been looking forward to more conversation." In 1997, Grebel and Mennonite Church Eastern Canada established the Ralph and Eileen Lebold Endowment for Leadership Training to fund expenses related to the pastoral training portion of the Master of Theological Studies program. This is the College's largest endowed fund at over $1.3 million, and a portion of its annual earnings fund the Anabaptist Learning Workshop program. Ralph remained connected and involved with Grebel for the rest of his life, most recently attending the 1985-95 era reunion to visit with alumni. "We will remember Ralph as a man who was quick to smile, and always had a heart for the Mennonite Church and its people," said President Shantz. "He will be dearly missed." (Retrieved from https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel-now/grebel-now-fall-2017/feature/mourning-loss-former-president-ralph-lebold)

  
  

• Sources

  [S3231] Find A Grave, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/226776227/ralph-arthur-lebold. [S8] News - Gospel Herald, October 6, 1964 - Obituary of Elmer Lebold.

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 12 May 1934 - New Hamburg, Wilmot Twp., Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Died - 31 Oct 2017 - Kitchener, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada Buried - - Erb Street Mennonite Cemetery, Waterloo City, Waterloo Region, Ontario, Canada  = Link to Google Earth