Ralph Milton

Ralph Milton’s roots are in the storytelling and strongly pacifist Mennonite tradition. He was born in Altona, Manitoba in 1934 and grew up in the tiny hamlet of Horndean which, like so many small towns, doesn’t exist anymore.

After a short and unsuccessful attempt at school teaching, he found work as an actor at a Winnipeg radio station “in some of the soppiest soap operas you can imagine.” When the advent of TV ended radio drama, he became a disk jockey in the Elvis Presley era, later moving into news reporting and programme management.

In 1961 the Milton family moved to the Philppines where he taught radio broadcasting to students from various parts of Asia. That experience was distilled into his first book, a training manual which was widely used in third-world countries.

His broad media experience led him into work in New York researching broadcasting as a tool for social and economic growth in developing nations and consulting with media operations in various parts of the third world, principally Africa.

 Returning to his native country with his growing family, Ralph spent a decade in Calgary producing and hosting an award-winning TV series Celebrations. His wife, Beverley meanwhile, was one of the first women to be ordained as a United Church minister, which took them to BC’s Okanagan Valley where Bev pastored several thriving churches.

 Ralph took up housekeeping, the parenting of teenagers, and some serious writing. When the children grew up and left home, Bev and Ralph, along with their long-time friends, Jim and Joan Taylor, established a publishing house, Wood Lake Books.

Over his almost nine decades of life, Ralph has authored more than 20 books and an uncounted number of magazine articles and other publications. In recognition for his work, Ralph was awarded two honorary degrees, Doctor of Sacred Letters and Doctor of Divinity.

Now in their platinum years, the Miltons have moved into a seniors’ residence where Ralph claims to be Well Aged, having achieved enough wrinkles to claim the status of “true geezerhood.”

Some of Ralph Milton's books: 

The Gift of Story

The Spirituality of Grandparenting

Julian’s Cell

The Essence of Julian

Angels in Red Suspenders

Is This Your Idea of a Good Time, God?

God for Beginners