The Rev. Canon Ralph Gregory McGimpsey

The Rev. Canon Ralph Gregory McGimpsey was welcomed home by his heavenly Creator on March 8, 2026, in Sarasota, Florida, after a long course of frontotemporal dementia. He was 88.

Born on March 15, 1937, in Cleveland, Ohio, Ralph grew up in Cleveland Heights and graduated from Miami University (Ohio) and Bexley Hall Seminary.

On April 22, 1961, he married Katherine “Kay” Charlotte Hanau. They were married for more than 52 years, until Kay’s death on July 14, 2013.

Canon McGimpsey devoted his life to ministry in the Episcopal Church. He served in the Diocese of Michigan, beginning at St. John’s in Saginaw in 1964, then as Rector of St. Paul’s in Brighton, and at St. David’s in Garden City. He then served at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Detroit as Provost of the Cathedral Chapter until his retirement in 1999. Over the course of his ministry, he also served in a number of diocesan leadership roles.

In retirement, Ralph and Kay moved to Sarasota, where he continued his vocation for many years at St. Boniface Episcopal Church on Siesta Key. There he assisted with parish life, led the men’s group, and made hospital visits. Even after formal retirement, he remained a pastor at heart.

Ralph was not only devoted to the Church, but also to his family, and enjoyed the practical work of everyday life. He loved being a handyman and took real pleasure in fixing whatever needed repair, from small appliances to church boilers. He especially enjoyed building and finishing a cottage on Little Bear Lake, where he found "relaxation" in drywalling, wiring and plumbing. He was a former member of Kiwanis and Rotary. Ralph loved enjoyed long road trips, camping, and in later years, cruising and traveling abroad with Kay

In Sarasota, Ralph was also an active member of The Glenridge Community. His family is deeply grateful for the care he received from the Isle of Skye memory unit and the Carroll Center Skilled Nursing facility.

In death he joins his beloved wife, Kay, and his parents, John Earle McGimpsey and Muriel (Heasley) McGimpsey.

He is survived by his son, John McGimpsey; daughter, Katherine Connelly (Tracy); his brothers, Earl and Ronald McGimpsey; six grandchildren, Gavin, Duncan, Katie Crabtree, Lauren Duvall, Lindsey Connelly, and Christopher Connelly; and two and a half great-grandchildren.

A service celebrating Ralph’s life will be held on April 18, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Boniface Episcopal Church on Siesta Key. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made in his memory to St. Boniface Episcopal Church. St. Boniface Episcopal Church, Sarasota, FL: Ways to Give