Ralph Murray Culligan

Divisions Served: “A,” “F,” “J,” “L,” “O,” “HQ,” “Depot”

Medals & Honours: Long Service Medal with Bronze Bar, Silver Bar, Gold Bar, Queen’s Silver Jubilee Medal, Serving Brother, Order of St. John, Queen’s Gold Jubilee Medal

Pillar Location: Pillar IX, Row 34, Column D

Story: 

Ralph Murray Culligan was born May 10, 1934 in Penniac, New Brunswick, largely raised by his grandparents – affectionately known as “Nannie” & “Gramps” – as early in his life his father went overseas to fight in World War II.

At the end of the war, the focus of his father, unfortunately, was less on returning to and raising his young son, but more on his war bride, who returned to Canada with him. What was fortunate, but only becoming apparent many years later, was the strong and deep family connection that grew out of this new family offshoot with his father’s new wife, which Ralph grew to appreciate – particularly with his four half-brothers.

A typical young lad in Eastern Canada during the war, Ralph was fascinated with stories of what was happening overseas. Perhaps a little too young to truly appreciate it, the interest grew as he matured into an adult – perhaps influencing his career choice – but manifesting itself into a life-long fascination of strategy and history, being played out in books, movies, and – later in life – computer game simulations.

His fascination also rested with journalism in school and, undoubtedly at a point, seriously considered a career in the newspaper industry. His story to his family in later years was that he had applied to a local New Brunswick newspaper but the letter of acceptance – as the lore goes – arrived the day after he left for training at “Depot”!

RCMP Career
Ralph joined the RCMP on August 19, 1953, out of Fredericton, NB and went on to join Troop N, “Depot Division” in Regina, Saskatchewan, beginning his training as a fresh-faced 19-year-old (having just turned 19 in May!).

For the next 38-years, his career can be traced as follows:

Year(s) Rank Location Duties/Division
1953-54 3/Cst. – 2/Cst. Regina, Sask. Training – “Depot Div”
1954-55 2/Cst. Ottawa, ON Protective Duties – “A” Div
1955 2/Cst. Saskatoon, Saks General Duties – “F” Div
1955 2/Cst. Humboldt, Saks General Duties – “F” Div
1955-56 2/Cst. – Cst. Watrous, Saks General Duties – “F” Div
1956-57 Cst. Kindersley, Saks General Duties – “F” Div
1957-59 Cst. Yorkton, Saks General Duties, Radio Operator
1959 Cst. Pelly, Saks General Duties – “F” Div
1959-61 Cst. Fredericton, NB General Duties, Race Track – “J” Div
1961-62 Cst. Fredericton, NB Attend UNB – “J” Div
1963-66 Cst. – Cpl. Fredericton, NB CIBC Reader, “J” Div HQ
1966-68 Cpl. Ottawa, ON Attend Carleton University – “HQ”
1968  Sgt. Toronto, ON Commercial Crime Duties – “O” Div
1968-70 Sgt. – S/Sgt. Toronto, ON Commercial Crime Duties – “O” Div
1970-71 S/Sgt. – S/Insp. Toronto, ON Commercial Crime Duties – Admin
1971-74 S/Insp. – Insp. Toronto, ON Financial Officer – “O” Div
1974-76 Insp. Toronto, ON Staffing Officer – “O” Div
1976-81 Supt. Toronto, ON Administration & Personnel – “O” Div
1981-85 C/Supt. Charlottetown, PEI Commanding Officer – “L” Div
1985-91 A/Comm’r. Toronto, ON Commanding Officer – “O” Div

Not beset by ill health very often, Ralph did suffer through two significant health issues during his final decade with the force:
– A hereditary heart condition warranted a replacement of his heart valve in the late 1980s, which warranted preventative care via medication for the rest of his life
– An on-duty car accident in an unmarked police vehicle during a visit to Northern Ontario required surgery on his left hip, leaving him with a limp and requiring the use of a cane.

Ralph retired on July 1, 1991 after 38 years of service at the rank of Assistant Commissioner. He would joke that, at the time of his retirement, he was the 7th highest ranking officer in the RCMP, so had achieved his goal of becoming “007”. This of course, referring to the famous number of James Bond, of the British Secret Service.

During his career and afterwards into retirement – Ralph earned and was awarded the following:
• RCMP Long Service Medal (LSM) for completion of 20 years’ service, with the additional bars: a bronze bar (1978), a silver bar (1983) and a gold bar (1988)
• Queen’s (Silver) Jubilee Medal (1977)
• Invested as a Serving Brother, Order of St. John (1984)
• Queen’s (Gold) Jubilee Medal (2002) [one of 15 “pensioners” selected for this honour]

Remnants of Ralph’s service can be found in and around Depot Division in the form of a mounted donated sword, presented in January 2004.

Post Career
With his formal RCMP career behind him, he shortly ventured out into the workforce and worked for a number of years at The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Awards office in Toronto, in a managerial capacity, utilizing his CMA accounting degree earned during his university years. The venture was relatively short-lived (roughly two years) and it is safe to say that Ralph found it relatively unsatisfying being the number two in an office of two, after just retiring from what could easily be viewed as a much more fulfilling career. With his “itch now scratched”, he turned his skills and interests to full-time volunteering.

Ralph prolifically volunteered over the next 20+ years of his life at various organizations. He had joined the Toronto Division of the RCMP Vets almost immediately after retiring, and for the next 16 years happily worked up and through their ranks:

– 1991: Joined Toronto Division Vets
– 1993: Secretary Toronto Division Vets
– 1994: Vice President Toronto Division Vets
– 1995: Veterans’ Rep to the “Mounted Police Foundation”
– 1996: Treasurer National Vets
– 2002: Treasurer Toronto Division Vets
– 2007: President Toronto Division Vets
– 2009: Life Member Toronto Vets

Ralph was also a fixture in and around a number of organizations in his local community that were important to him: He volunteered at Richmond Hill’s York Central Hospital (now called “Mackenzie Health”); he became the accountant for the gift shop & lottery kiosks within the same hospital; and joined his wife Louise in supporting The Eastern Star in Richmond Hill, ON.

Family & Personal
Ralph was introduced to his future wife Louise Gowan on a blind date in Ottawa. A nurse at the  Ottawa Civic hospital, the couple was married in June 1957, with Louise promptly relocating to Kindersley, Sask.

Ralph & Louise adopted a baby girl – Karen – in 1960, while in Fredericton and grew their family further in 1964 with the addition of a natural son, Murray, also in Fredericton. While no more children were blessed on the marriage, 3 grandchildren were presented in time to the proud grandparents: Mackenzie (Karen & her husband Gary) and Kaitlyn & Mitchell (Murray & his wife Eleanor).

While actively moving around due to transfers during his working years, Toronto became the de facto location for most of the couple’s family life and ultimately their retirement location in 1991.

Ralph was recognized by his colleagues and peers with the 1998 Governor General’s “Caring Canadian Award”, which he proudly accepted in front of family and friends. The award surprised him a bit as he never felt he was doing anything that was necessarily award worthy.

Retirement saw what might be considered a traditional format of regular activities: Traveling (together Ralph & Louise visited Germany, Australia and Europe to name a few); hours of volunteering and enjoying visiting with and celebrating the life events with his family.

Ralph passed away on December 9, 2014 in the Richmond Hill area, surrounded by his family, closing the chapter on a rich and rewarding career.

R.M. Culligan May 10, 1934 – Dec 9, 2014