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Deceased Members–2008
In Memory of Ralph Edwards
Ralph Edwards, FSA, and a member of its predecessor organization, the American Institute of Actuaries, passed away on April 2, 2008, at the age of 96.
Over the course of his long career, he was the senior actuary for Baltimore Life Insurance Co. In the 1950s, he founded the Baltimore Actuaries Club, and functioned as its secretary for several decades. Edwards also served a term as American Academy of Actuaries secretary (1976–1977) and as president of the Middle Atlantic Actuarial Club.
His wife, Norma, also an SOA member, preceded him in death.
Perhaps his most important contribution to the profession was as the creator, writer, editor and publisher of an informal newsletter, The Actuarial Record. Published from January 1964 to January 1967, Edwards' lively circular came into being at a time when the only other regular actuarial publications were the scholarly Transactions of the Society of Actuaries and similar annuals from the SOA's sister organizations.
He perceived the need for a more topical, timely, personal and even humorous newsletter, and inspired by his effort, the professional organizations began to develop their own publications, leading off with the SOA's The Actuary and culminating in the large array of professional actuarial publications we have today.
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