Tribute: Rev Richard Samuel Ross

Former minister of Harryville, Carnlough and Cushendall Presbyterian Churches, Rev Ross, who had been living of late in Portstewart, passed away at Causeway Hospital on April 11.

Born in Annalong in 1923, his father, a member of the newly formed RUC, was transferred to Belfast in 1925 and so the young Richard spent his childhood in the Stranmillis area of South Belfast, where he was educated at the local primary school and Ardmore College.

After formal schooling, he worked for a short time in Short and Harland and then followed in his father’s footsteps working with the RUC for four years.

Brought up in a loving Christian family, he and his younger brother Bill attended Windsor Presbyterian and Fisherwick Sunday Schools and at the age of 10, during a church mission, Richard committed his life to Christ, and became involved in Christian education.

Eleven years later he was invited to attend the Portstewart convention by the Rev W M Craig, then the assistant minister at Windsor Church, and it was then that he felt the call to Christian ministry. He entered Magee College, Londonderry in 1946, finally graduating at Trinity College, Dublin, in 1950 and was subsequently licensed for the ministry two years later in Windsor Church. In the same year he went to assist the Very Rev Dr Gordon Erskine in Rosemary congregation and it was there that he met his future wife, Eileen Wadmore.

Eileen worked alongside her husband in the busy congregation of Harryville where he was ordained on February 14, 1955.

Reading a tribute to his father at the funeral service in West Presbyterian Church, Ballymena, on April 15, son, Richard told the packed gathering: “It was a growing congregation with large areas of new housing as well as the older heart of Harryville. The congregation grew from 450 to over 750 families during this time. They were challenging but rewarding years as dad worked with rarely a day off, visiting the congregation most evenings. He always thoroughly prepared for services and taught the scripture clearly, with insight and made it relevant for daily living.

“It is hard to sum up 25 years of ministry in a single congregation, but maybe dad’s care for individuals was something that marked his tenure. As children we recall the Christmas Days that a ‘gentleman of the road’ arrived at our home and was given a hot meal in our kitchen. Our focus was on a speedy exit for food and presents with our cousins. Dad and mum were more concerned with his needs as someone who was on his own at Christmas. Forty years later the presents have been forgotten but the legacy of kindness and care for people, which marked dad’s ministry, is remembered”.

Following the death of his wife in 1979, Rev Ross went on to serve as minister in Carnlough and Cushendall and spent eight and a half fulfilling and happy years with those coastal congregations.

During that time he married Maureen Bingham, a friend from his days in the Youth Guild at Rosemary.

Retirement came in 1994, but like many ministers, he continued preaching and helping with visitation in Cullybackey, Ahoghill and latterly in West Church. He was also involved in the local community in Kells, where he lived with Maureen, serving as Vice Chair of the Improvement Committee and he enjoyed meeting up with ministerial colleagues and was chair of the Larne Minister’s club for an unprecedented 16 years.

Working well into his 80s and even publishing a book of poems - entitled “Life With A Capital L”, Rev Ross fulfilled his own maxim that it was better to ‘wear out than rust out’.

During his time in ministry he had been twice Moderator of Presbytery and was Moderator of Synod. His love of church music led him to work on the Choral Union Committee and his long commitment to a healing ministry in Harryville led to participation on the Divine Healing Committee. His ministry was also strongly rooted in the community where he was involved in many avenues of life. He spent 10 years as chaplain, teaching junior soldiers at St Patrick’s barracks, He was deputy hospital chaplain at the Waveney and Braid Valley hospitals, served as chair of four school management committees and chaired the local committee of the NSPCC.

Eventually, with Maureen’s failing health and her move to a care home in Portstewart, Rev Ross moved to sheltered accommodation in the town, visiting his wife faithfully each day until her death in 2009. Always keen to remain active, he attended the local Probus club, Ballywillan Men’s Fellowship and activities at Burnside Church. With increasing frailty, in the last nine months, he was cared for at Madelayne Court Residential Home in the town.

Rev Ross was interred privately following the Service of Thanksgiving for his life at West Church on Sunday, April 15.He is survived by his children, Richard, Jennifer and Andrew; grandchildren, Patrick, Stuart, Kieran, Arianne and Rebecca; and wider family circle.