John Fraser Ramsey Dies

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. _ Long-time University of Alabama history Professor Dr. John Fraser Ramsey died Wednesday in a Florence nursing home. He was 75.
No funeral services will be held. There will be a memorial service on the Tuscaloosa campus during the observance of Honors Day, April 7.
Ramsey joined the UA faculty as a history instructor in 1935 and, except for three years on the staff of the United States Air Force, during which time he was its senior historian, he served on the faculty for the next 42 years. He was promoted to full professor in 1947 and was chairman of the history department from 1971-75.
During his distinguished career as a teacher and historian, Ramsey published a number of books and articles, including a study of Anglo-French relations from 1763-1770 published by the University of California Press.
Ramsey was reared in Long Beach, Calif. He received his B.A. degree with honors in history; his M.A. degree; and his Ph.D. in modern European history from the University of California at Berkeley.
He received numerous honors for his service to the University. The degree Doctor of Humane Letters was conferred on him by the University in 1977, and that same year, the National Alumni Association selected him for one of its Outstanding Commitment to Teaching awards.
He also received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, one of the highest honors given at the University, in 1962; the Alabama Residence Halls Council Distinguished Professor Award in 1954; and the Carlton K. Butler Award for service to the University bestowed by Theta Chi fraternity in 1974.
At his retirement in 1977, his friends endowed the first University-wide endowed scholarship in his name. The $1,000 scholarship is now presented annually. He was a member of the American Historical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Alpha Theta (history), Omicron Delta Kappa (honorary), Jasons (honorary), Pi Sigma Delta (Spanish), and Alabama A Club (honorary). He was founder of the University chapter of Phi Kappa Psi social fraternity.
Ramsey was one of the founders of the Alabama Association of Historians, which has named its award of merit for him. From 197 7-79, Ramsey served as president of the University’s Retired Faculty Association.
A memorial service in Tuscaloosa will be announced at a later time. Memorial contributions should be made to: The John F. Ramsey Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1436, University, Ala., 35486.


United States Senate
Washington, D.C. 20510

May 12, 1983

Dr. Howard Jones
Box 1936
University, Alabama 35486

Dear Howard:
Enclosed please find a copy of the statement which I entered in the Congressional Record in memory of our good friend, Dr. John Ramsey.
John was truly a fine man in every way. I am sure you agree with me in believing that he will be sorely missed by all who knew or associated with him. In view of his contributions and your friendship, I thought you would appreciate receiving a copy of this statement.
If there is ever any way in which I might be of service to you, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Howell Heflin
HHIdpf Enclosure

Senate

A Tribute to Dr. John F. Ramsey

Mr. Heflin. Mr. President, on February 16, 1983, Alabama lost one of its most outstanding citizens when Dr. John Fraser Ramsey passed away.
Dr. Ramsey first came to Alabama as a history instructor at the University of Alabama in 1935. Except for three years when he served as senior historian of the United States Air Force, he would remain a member of the faculty at the University for 42 years until his retirement in 1977.
His career at the University was certainly a distinguished one. During his tenure, Dr. Ramsey served as chairman of the department of history, the American Studies Committee, the President’s Committee on Academic Activities of the University, the Committee on the Honors Program, the Arts and Sciences Faculty Senate, the Arts and Sciences Committee on Instruction, the University Committee on Student Awards. and the Arts and Sciences Committee on Student Academic Affairs. He has also served as President of the Alabama Council for the Social Studies and the Alabama Association of Historians, which has named its annual award “The John F. Ramsey Award of Merit,” in recognition of his outstanding service in founding the association.
To fully realize the depth and dimension of this dedicated teacher, one must look beyond a mere listing of his honors and awards even when they are as impressive as these are.
The true essence of Dr. Ramsey was as a teacher. His life was shaped around his love of history, his students, and the University of Alabama. He was a scholar, and had several scholarly works published but I believe his own measure of success was not in these personal, material accomplishments, but was in conveying an enthusiasm for the study of man to many generations of students. My son Tom was one of his students and I have heard him speak at length about his respect and devotion of his friend and teacher.
Professor Ramsey was truly fond of his students, thinking of them not as impersonal numbers or mere faces in a large lecture room but as human beings. He was widely known among the student body for his wit and humor, his integrity, and his leadership, but no more so than for his ability and willingness to listen and advise.
During his years at the University, John Ramsey was not only a professor, but an example, a counselor, and a friend. He earned, many times over, the respect and admiration of all who knew him, both inside and outside of the University community.
In 1977, the year of his retirement, two distinctive honors were bestowed on Dr. Ramsey which perhaps best indicate the attitude which the University had toward him. The first of these honors came when be was given the highest award which the University of Alabama can bestow, the doctor of humane letters degree.
Second, his friends endowed, in Dr. Ramsey’s name, the first university-wide endowed scholarship. This $1,000 scholarship is now presented annually, encouraging students to follow in the path of John Ramsey’s high standards of excellence.
Mr. President, Prof. John Fraser Ramsey was a truly great educator and citizen. I only wish that my words today could convey the esteem in which he was held as clearly and succinctly as did a professor of law in Illinois, who said, "When I think of the value of liberal education, I think of John Ramsey. When my students say I am a good teacher, I think: I knew one. If could be more like him, you would know what a good teacher is."
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that an article from the Birmingham Post-Herald be printed in the Record.
Thank you, Mr. President.
There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:

[From the Birmingham Post-Herald, Feb. 18,1983]

University of Alabama History Professor Dies

Tuscaloosa. Longtime University of Alabama history professor Dr. John Fraser Ramsey died Wednesday in a Florence nursing home. He was 75.
No funeral services will be held. There will be a memorial service on the Tuscaloosa campus during the observance of Honors Day, April 7.
Ramsey joined the UA faculty as a history instructor in 1935 and, except for three years on the staff of the United States Air Force, during which time he was its senior historian, he served on the faculty for the 42 years.
He was promoted to full professor in 1947 and was chairman of the history department from 1971-75.
During his distinguished career as a teacher and historian, Ramsey published a number of books and articles, including a study of Anglo-French relations from 1768-1770 published by the University of California Press.
Ramsey received his A. B. degree with honors in history; his M.A. degree, and his Ph.D. in modern European history from the University of California at Berkeley.
The degree Doctor of Humane Letters was conferred on him by the University of Alabama in 1977, and that same year, the National Alumni Association selected him for one of its Outstanding Commitment to Teaching awards.
He also received the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award, one of the highest honors given at UA in 1962; the Alabama Residence Halls Council Distinguished Professor Award in 1954; and the Carlton K. Butler Award for service to the University bestowed by Theta Chi fraternity in 1974.
At his retirement in 1977, his friends endowed the first University-wide endowed scholarship in his name. The $1,000 scholarship is now presented annually. Ramsey was one of the founders of the Alabama Association of Historians, which has named its award of merit for him.
Memorial contributions should be made to: The John F. Ramsey Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box. 1436, University, Ala., 35486.