Ralph Swartzentruber

Ralph Swartzentruber was born in 1943 in Stratford, the son of Elroy and Verda (Bender) Swartzentruber. He had one sister and one brother. Ralph attended the S.S. No. 12, Rockett Public School, and graduated from grade 8. Deitsch was his first language. His family attended the Cassel Amish Mennonite Church, where his grandfather was the preacher. In 1966 Ralph married Sandra Schumm and in 1972 they took over his parents’ dairy farm in East Zorra Township. Ralph and Sandra had one son and three daughters. They attended the Cassel Mennonite Church where Ralph was a song leader. When they sold the dairy operation to their son, Ralph and Sandra moved to a neighboring hog farm. They continued using Deitsch in their home. In his retirement, Ralph worked part time as a funeral home assistant. Sandra died in 2020. Ralph retired to Stratford in 2023.