Ralphell McCollum

Ralphell McCollum started off life with a problem — a misspelled name on his birth certificate. This little mistake had just about no impact on his everyday life, but it was the first problems in a life of problems that he successfully overcame. (Never a fan of Ralphell, everyone knew him as Ralph).

Ralph was the second-youngest of a blended family of nine with seven siblings. 

He conquered childhood poverty, lack of education, loss of manufacturing jobs in America, and a house fire to finally create a life that sustained his family and brought him the stability and enjoyment he sought in his later year. 

With the support of his older brother, Henry, Ralph was able to leave Jim Crow South, along with his brothers Emerson and Lee Roy when he was a teenager. He lost his first job in Philadelphia, his new hometown, because he didn’t have a Social Security Card. Despite this rough start, his brother Henry helped him land another job washing dishes at a West Philadelphia restaurant.  After a few months, he left the kitchen. He did manual work on construction sites until Rev. Louis Sullivan’s Opportunities Industrialization Center gave him the knowledge to earn his GED and become a machinist.

When industry faltered and machinist jobs in the Philadelphia area evaporated, Ralph began work in local trucking positions.  By God's grace, he eventually secured a job working for the City of Philadelphia, which enabled him to secure a comfortable retirement after a life of hard knocks and tough work.

Unbeknownst to many, Ralph dreamed of being an engineer or a pilot. Unfortunately, this dream was never realized but he gave it a try.  With the encouragement of his former wife, Saundra, the father of three did make steps toward that goal. He even dared to take several engineering classes in his attempt to fulfill his dream. He redirected dreams for his own education and invested himself in securing a solid educational foundation for his children that he did not have.

When asked for a notable trait of his little brother, Henry said, “hard worker.” Ralph was very loyal to his family. Ralph’s fidelity extended beyond his family circle. Throughout his life, he held onto friends, like Benny Hollinger, whom Ralph met when he was 11 and still called “friend” In the final years of his life.

Ralph also developed a passion for golf. He played in sun and rain. He even caddied to get extra time on the links. 

Despite his love for the game, Ralph never let golf keep him from church services at Third Eternal Baptist Church, where he worshipped for decades.

The McCollum-Williams tribe have leaned on each other through the lean childhood years and were there for each other through marriages, births, sicknesses, deaths, graduations and birthdays.

Ralph is survived by three daughters Lorie, Monica and Tracie; a grandson, Christian Harris; a brother, Henry; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.

Submitted With Love,

The Family

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