In memory of Ralph Koplowitz

We are deeply saddened to share that Ralph Koplowitz, father of Seth Koplowitz (Nina Pulver), and Ethan Koplowitz, passed away peacefully at the Belvidere Healthcare Center in Lowell, MA on March 1, 2024. He was 76. Ralph also leaves behind his sister Vicki Aldema, and nieces and nephews Lirit, Aviv, Yaron, and Rinat in Israel.

Ralph was an especially genuine, open-minded, unique soul who was passionate about experiencing nature, marvelling at the mysteries of the universe and other scientific realms, and helping others, particularly those with disadvantages in life. After working as a meteorologist for 20 years, he went back to school to pursue counselling - ironically following in the footsteps of his older son, Seth.

Ralph was always quite proud of his Jewish heritage, and connection to Israel, and was eager to share his personal reflections on how Judaism influenced his life philosophy. His mother Bea Koplowitz emigrated to Israel at the age of 96, a fact about which he was inordinately proud.

He reveled in the beauty of the natural world, and was most happy when immersed in the out-of-doors, actually camping, talking about camping, or thinking about camping (or travelling more broadly). He had a ceaseless interest in following the news both domestically and elsewhere in the world, and was always ready to engage in conversations about current and historical events.

He profoundly loved his sons Seth and Ethan, and was incredibly proud of them both for taking up careers which have been dedicated to helping people in need (Seth as a social worker and mental health therapist, and Ethan as a nursing assistant in retirement homes, as well as working in various capacities at a local hospital). Ralph was also unusually proud to have a daughter-in-law who got a perfect score on her verbal SATs - a fact he continued to broadcast well into her 40s.

Ralph reveled in the beauty of national parks, particularly in the U.S. and Canada, and highly valued the conservation of natural space. His final wish was to be cremated and his ashes scattered at the base of a particular copper birch tree that Seth and Ethan are well acquainted with on the Bat Lake Trail in Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada.

The family is sponsoring a bench to be located on this trail in his name. As there was only one remaining location on the Bat Lake trail, we have opted to move forward swiftly with purchasing it to secure the spot, which was particularly meaningful to Ralph. The trail weaves though forest and wetland, passes by beaver dams and is frequented by moose and black bear as often as it is by people. Vibrant green moss, ferns and orange lichen blanket the forest floor, spruce reach for the sky, grasses whisper in the wind and in winter multiple feet of snow make the silence deafening. It is an ever-changing place bursting with life energy and peace.

If you wish to contribute to the the bench cost in lieu of flowers, please consider donating here. Alternatively, you are welcome to consider donating to the Friends of Algonquin Park charity in his name, for educational programming in the park. We know that Ralph would approve of any opportunities for nature conservation, contemplation, or just taking a rest on a long trail.

We thank you for reading this. If you would like to leave a comment or share a memory in the comment section, we would love to hear it.

Much love and kind thoughts from the Koplowitz family.