Ralph F. Watkins ’51

Ralph F. Watkins ’51, a resident of Pleasantville, New York, died on October 17, 2015. He is survived by four children and five grandchildren. Ralph was a man of unusually broad interests. When filling out the “interests” section of a College alumni questionnaire recently he checked nearly every box, from the arts to the environment and from the New York Yankees to international affairs. He was especially intrigued by paleoanthropology and astrophysics. He majored in English at Dartmouth, was an officer of Gamma Delta Chi and wrote for The Daily Dartmouth. He went on to earn a master’s in American literature at Columbia University. Throughout his life he loved learning. A conversation with Ralph was notable for his genuine curiosity about the interests of others and his delight in expanding his own awareness and understanding. Ralph’s professional life was spent in the investment business, including assignments with Merrill Lynch, E.F. Hutton and Kidder Peabody. He was also an active volunteer, including regular involvement as an admissions interviewer for Dartmouth and as a class agent for the Alumni Fund. He was a regular volunteer at Grenville Baker Boys and Girls Club in Locust Valley, New York, where he served as a coach of youth athletic teams and a leader in the men’s club. He was a director of the Smithton (New York) Arts Council and a trustee of Sterling College (Vermont).