Dr. Ralph Rummage

Dr. Ralph Lee Rummage, DMin.
June 3, 1926 – January 8, 2020

Ralph Rummage, 93, of Waco, passed away on January 8, 2020 at BaylorScott & White – Hillcrest after a short illness. Public Visitation will be at OakCrest Funeral Home from 5 – 7 p.m., Thursday Jan. 16. Memorial Services will be 1 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17, at Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, Waco, with Rev. Josh Vaughn officiating. A private family burial will precede the memorial service at Oakwood Cemetery.

Ralph was born on June 3, 1926 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Clarence and Gladys Rummage. He graduated from Will Rogers High School, Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1944. After graduation, he attended Baylor University, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in 1949. While attending Baylor, Ralph met and married Laverne Russell in 1948 and moved to the Bay area of California, where he attended Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, receiving his Masters of Divinity in 1953.

While in seminary and after graduation, Ralph and Laverne began their career in pioneer missions, participating in church planting in California. In 1957, they moved to Bixby, Oklahoma and pastored for two years. In 1959, Ralph and Laverne were appointed by the Foreign Mission Board (now International Mission Board) as career missionaries to Southern Rhodesia, Africa (now Zimbabwe) for 32 years, retiring to Waco, Texas in 1991.

While on the mission field, Ralph completed his Doctor of Ministry degree in 1985 from Southwestern Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas. In their retirement, they continued to be involved in volunteer-based domestic and foreign missions to Zimbabwe, Wisconsin, Kenya, and Bosnia. Ralph remained an active member of Columbus Avenue Baptist Church singing in the choir, teaching Sunday School, and serving on many committees until his death.

Ralph and Laverne spent their lives in service to Jesus Christ, their Savior, by serving people in their family, church, and communities (domestic and foreign) wherever they lived and worked. Known as “Dad” or “Baba” to his family, Ralph was loved for his relentless desire to share the love of Christ. He was also known for his sense of humor and corny “dad jokes.”

Ralph was preceded in death by his parents, brother J Reid Rummage, sister Joyce Rummage, granddaughter Jamie Lynn Rummage, and daughter in law Patty Rummage.

He is survived by his wife of more than 71 years, Laverne; son David Rummage and his children, Mike and Kate; son John Rummage and his wife Debbie, and their children Rachael and Samuel; daughter Carolyn Woods and her husband Bill, and their children Daniel and Josh; son Paul Rummage and his wife Carole, and their children Ben and Holly; 8 great-grandchildren; 6 grandchildren in law; and sister-in law Mary Russell.

Pallbearers will be Ralph’s eight grandchildren Rachael Stoldt, Mike Rummage, Katie Rummage, Samuel Rummage, Ben Rummage, Daniel Woods, Holly Humphrey, and Josh Woods.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the

International Mission Board,
3806 Monument Ave
Richmond, VA 23230
NOTE: To donate online, please scroll down to the bottom of this screen and click: THE INTERNATIONAL MISSION BOARD