Ralph N. Selin Rev.

Rev. Ralph N. Selin, age 71, longtime resident of the Ovid area, passed away in faith at Huntington Living Center in Waterloo on Sunday, July 12, 2015.

The family will receive friends at Covert Funeral Home, 7199 South Main Street in Ovid, from 6:00pm to 8:00pm on Friday, July 17, 2015. A funeral service will be held at the Interlaken Reformed Church at 10:30am on Saturday, July 18, 2015, officiated by Rev. David Shank. Prayers of committal will be held at Ovid Union Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to the Interlaken Fire Department, for which Ralph served as chaplain and volunteer for many years, PO Box 274, Interlaken, NY 14847 in Ralph❜s memory.

Ralph was born on February 8, 1944 in Buffalo, NY a son of the late Anton and Ruth (Bartholowmew) Selin. Upon graduation from High School, Ralph attended the Buffalo Bible Institute, where he met his future wife of 50 years, Mary Smith. He was ordained in the Southern Baptist Convention and later the Federation of Reformed Churches. Ralph❜s work in ministry was multi-faceted, from acting as houseparent to teenage children, to his time in the pulpit, Ralph❜s unwavering dedication to his faith was inspirational. His favorite position was that of administrator of the Interlaken Christian School, a job he fell into, quite by accident, yet flourished as he guided the learning and futures of so many children. He retired from Christ Church in Ithaca when his health diminished. Ralph❜s approach to life and ministry was with that of reverence and respect, while at the same time, realizing that God expects all of us to find joy in our family and friends. His sometimes unconventional approach led to helping people find God, that may have otherwise have been overlooked.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mary A. Selin of Ovid; his daughters, Linnea (Carl) Schmucker of Canton, Ohio and their children, Andrew (Keleigh), Jacob, Sarah (John) Taylor and Hannah Schmucker, and Jennifer (Rev. Jason) Fulkerson of Interlaken, and many friends and extended family members. Ralph was preceded in death by a daughter, Barbara Ann Selin and by his brothers, Lee and Glen.