^{Chapman’s News & Ideas} Ralph Munro Touched the Heart of the People

Ralph Munro was a bit fragile these past few years, not the bouncy, engaged, and encouraging tribune of yore. But the long parade marches on and, well, the good news about Ralph is almost surely that his parade ends in Heaven.

Why? What gives me, a patent sinner, the presumption to say such a thing, when all judgment of course resides with the Almighty?

I mean no disrespect, but there are few people, especially in the notorious shadowland of politics, that have so exemplified God’s imminent grace as Ralph Munro, my friend and distinguished successor as Secretary of State of Washington.

Many of the accolades for Ralph Munro will describe his policy innovations as a long-time Secretary of State. Actually, a few of those innovations at the time made me uncomfortable. But, meanwhile, as the third ranking elected official in Washington State, Ralph, wrapped in his distinct position, embarked on a decades-long effort to ennoble citizen efforts to make Washington a better place and to recognize volunteer public service wherever he found it. He was there to help the less fortunate, protect nature and nature’s creatures, and to promote one good local cause after another. Do you need someone to glamorize a burger-fry for cancer research? Ask Ralph. Is your town trying to renovate the history museum, or chart a nature trail? Give the Capitol a call and connect to Ralph.

Because he was already connected to you.

Everybody loved Ralph. For good reasons. He gave of himself.