RALPH W. ROSS, A ST. ELIGIUS KNIGHT

This is a personal story of Ralph W. Ross, PhD, President of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and a Knight of St. Eligius. To be a Knight, you must be a kind, generous, caring person focused on advancing the studies of numismatics, growing the hobby, and building fellowship. Dr. Ross is a role model in this regard. I hope you will feel the same pride that I do, when you are done reading, knowing that such as person is leading one of the largest numismatic organizations in the world! I am thankful to Dr. Ross and his family, for affording me time in the fall of 2022, to complete this story.

With the recent induction of Dr. Ralph W. Ross, PhD, as a Knight of St. Eligius, as a fellow Knight, I want to celebrate his glory. Also 2022 is a special anniversary for Ralph in terms of numismatics! Unlike, most articles published about Ralph W. Ross, PhD, this story of Dr. Ross will lean towards a more personal insight to the man — whose family lovingly calls him the genius — a devoted spiritualist, loving father, devoted husband, outstanding educator, renowned professional, fully-engaged hobbyist, and all-around nice person. Ralph's daughter Jillian notes, Our summer vacations were planned around ANA National Conventions in cities around the United States, at times bringing along my father's siblings and their families, and this included attending the ANA banquets too.

Let's first get the résumé covered that most articles are focused on. It's convenient where Ralph and his lovely wife Phyllis A. Ross live in Sugar Land, Texas. Ralph spent nearly two years in the National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) —Occupational Health and Human Test Support. This came after his work with GTE as Assistant Engineer and GSI as a Seismologist. These three roles were in conjunction with his teaching career and advancing his own education. First came his Bachelor of Science (Mathematics, Chemistry), then his Master's degree (Mathematics), and over the course of 32 years, Ralph completed his Doctorate (Environmental Toxicology). It's important to remember Ralph and Phyllis started a family going on to raise three children during this period (Jason, Jeremy, and Jillian).

 

Ralph's professional teaching career began in 1980 as a Graduate Teaching Assistant with the University of Michigan. His teaching profession has spanned over 40 years, teaching Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and other subjects.

Ralph grew up in Muskegon (Michigan), and later moved to Houston (Texas) in 1982 where he met and married his wife Phyllis and started a family. Ralph's introduction to numismatics is a bit unusual from most stories, and it may also have triggered his interest in mathematics as well. He lived across the street from Coleman's Grocery which had candy machines out front, with the gumball machine being a favourite since his older brother Sam taught him how to use it. When Ralph thought the gumball machine broke, the store owner Mr. Coleman showed him that the machine could not accept Ralph's coin, as it was a 12-sided (dodecagon 1951) Canadian 5-cent piece rather than a round US Buffalo-nickel, but Coleman offered to exchange the coin.

Ralph however, had a different idea, he ran home to his mother. To calm the disappointed 4-year-old, Ralph's mother explained to him about currency used in countries outside the USA, such as the Canadian 5-cent piece. At his mother's urging, Ralph saved the Canadian coin. Ralph shares, From that day on, I have collected various things, such as bottle caps, baseball cards, marbles, stamps, spiders (live), lottery tickets, and of course, coins of all kinds. Somewhere in his life, Ralph also became a fan of jazz music, travelling, and sports (he is the proud great-uncle of NBA Boston Celtic All-Star Jaylen Brown).

The Honorable Phyllis A. Ross, a Presiding Municipal Court Judge in Suburban Houston, Texas is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Houston Law Center. Judge Ross grew up in Dallas, Texas and has practiced law in the Houston community since 1992. Judge Ross is married to Dr. Ralph Ross, a mathematics professor, and they are the parents of three children, and the grandparents of three. Judge Ross has been instrumental in the lives of her children and others, serving as a college prep consultant and mentor helping young people achieve their dreams. Judge Ross shares the successes learned in helping her children excel and encourages students and parents to strive for excellence. Judge Ross and her husband, the owner of Ross Family Coins and President of the American Numismatics Association, travel the country attending local, state, regional, national and international coin shows and encouraging young numismatists. Judge Ross is active in her community and has served as a volunteer for Girl Scouts of America, her church and other organizations, and is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority.

We thank Ralph and his entire family for the wonderful impact they have had on the hobby of numismatics, and how they continue to embrace everybody they meet with pureness of heart. It's easy to see why Dr. Ralph W. Ross was inducted on 11 December 2021 into the St. Eligius Numismatists Brotherhood of USA. He is certainly a role model for how all St. Eligius Knights lead. May St. Eligius continue to guide your path!

 

2022 Royal Canadian Numismatic Association convention in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and it shows four Knights of St. Eligius, including (left to right) Scott E. Douglas, the Grand Chancellor of the Brotherhood of St. Eligius Knights-Canada; Phyllis, Ross, and Serge Pelletier, RCNA NumisNotes Editor

To read the complete issue, see:
https://0n.b5z.net/i/u/10244551/f/Nashua_Coin_Club-Mtg_Mar_2023-Min_Feb_2023-finalized-v2.pdf

Judy adds:

For more information on the Nashua Coin Club, see:
https://nashuacoins.com/nashua-coin-club/

	NBS (coinbooks.org) Web