Ralph Probert: 93-year-old Is Spiritual Ball Of Fire
The People of Faith feature is compiled by Steve Halbig, who asks a series of questions of people of the Diocese of Evansville – some who have reached the “age of wisdom” and some who are younger. All will share stories of faith.
This month’s People of Faith features Ralph Probert, who is busy as ever as a 93-year-old parishioner at St. John the Evangelist parish in Daylight. He is a convert, a volunteer and his hobby is bicycle riding. See what he has to say.
Age, Occupation?: I was 93 years old on May 30. I retired from Potter and Brumfield Division of AMF as relay product engineering manager after 28 years of service.
Children, Grandchildren?: I have two married sons, two granddaughters, two grandsons, one great-granddaughter, two step-grandsons, one step-great-grandson, and two step-great-granddaughters.
Who or what has had the biggest impact on your life?: My lovely wife, our marriage of 62 years, and her painful death in 2005.
Who do you consider to be the best role models today? The two best living role models are Pope Francis and Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI . Some of the best role models in my life have been my parents and grandparents.
There have been several people throughout my life who have built and strengthened my faith: the Rev. Dayton B. Wright, my Episcopal priest as a teenager; the Rev. Stanley Meckcl, a Presbyterian pastor; the Rev. Ronald Yonker, a Methodist pastor; Father James Brune, Father Robert Deig, Father Donald Dilger, Sister Darlene Boyd and the Sisters of St. Benedict, especially Sister Jenny Miller.
Describe how your faith helped you through a difficult time in your life: The most difficult time in my life were the final days of my wife’s life and death. My faith in God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit enabled me to accept Evelyn’s death as the will of God. The loving support of family and friends helped me to cope with this painful period. I pray every day that the Holy Spirit will show me God’s Holy Will and with the Spirit’s help I may follow it.
Do you have hobbies? How do you stay active? I am a retired golfer. My present hobby is bicycle riding, and I try to ride three to four miles each day the weather permits. My odometer has a little over 3,400 miles on it. I stay active as a volunteer worker at St. Mary’s Health Center. I am an Extraordinary minister of Holy Communion and a worker in the Inpatient Pharmacy. I have over 1,500 hours of service.
What do you like most about being Catholic? I enjoy the Mass, the participation in the Holy Eucharist, the Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the Trinitarianism of the Catholic Church (God, Lord Jesus Christ and Most Holy Spirit as One God).
Of those things that are possible to change in the Catholic Church, what would you change? I would like to change the heavy present-day emphasis on the financial and business issues facing the Catholic Church. I would like the priests to be able to devote more time to evangelization and teaching.
If you could make one change in your community, what would it be? I would like to increase the socialization of the St. John’s family. Now we have those that go to Saturday Mass, those of the 7:15 a.m. Mass, and those of the 9:30 a.m. Mass. We need more “all together” activities.
Any regrets in life? My wife’s last wish was to die at home. I was unable to grant her wish.
Tell us a few more things about yourself. I was born on Memorial Day, May 30, 1920, in Salem, Ohio. My parents were Paul R. and Alma R. Probert. My father’s ancestors were from England and my mother’s ancestors were from Germany. Both my paternal and maternal grandparents lived in Salem. I was raised and confirmed in the Episcopal Church. My father was employed by the Pennsylvania Rail Road, and he was frequently transferred to different locations. So my elementary schooling was in several different schools, but I graduated from Salem High School prior to entering Purdue University. I graduated from Purdue with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1944.
While attending Purdue, I met and dated my future wife, Evelyn Louise Cleavelin, a native of Evansville. We were married in the First Presbyterian Church of Evansville on June 5,1943.
I served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the Pacific Theatre. Upon release from the Navy, I accepted an engineering position with Delco Radio Division of GM in Kokomo, Ind. Shortly after the birth of our first son we moved to Evansville in 1948.1 have been employed by Seeger Refrigeration, Geo. Koch and Sons, Electronics Research Inc., and Potter and Brumfield Division of AMF in the Evansville area.
We lived in the Evansville area enjoying the Southern lifestyle, sending our sons to local schools and doing our best to live a good Christian life. I have been a Cub Scout leader, a Kiwanis president, 32nd Degree Mason, a Shriner and a Kentucky Colonel. I am currently a life member of the VFW 1114 and the Purdue Alumni Association. I am a member of the St. Hildegarde Society and St. Mary’s Auxiliary.
After attending several courses by Father Donald Dilger, receiving instruction from Father James Brune (my friend and golfing partner) , and after our first son, Richard, converted to the Catholic Church, Evelyn and I chose to convert and we became members of St. John the Evangelist Parish in Daylight in 1993. I am an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion there.
What do you do in your spiritual life that you would recommend to others? I recommend that they regularly attend Mass, read Scripture daily, and pray constantly.
What is your best wisdom on life? In everything you do, give it your best whole effort and live a prayerful contented life.
