FALL RIVER — The Somerset Berkley community mourns the passing of Joseph A. Ramos, a beloved high school teacher remembered fondly for his ability to foster “creativity and self-confidence in all his students.”
Ramos, a Tiverton resident, was an instructor at Somerset Berkley Regional High School for over two decades. He died suddenly on Thursday, Dec 5, at the age of 48.
“Mr. Ramos has been a light at Somerset Berkley Regional High School since 2002. He cared wholeheartedly about every single member of the Raider family,” said SBRHS Principal Dr. Susan Brelsford via email Monday to The Herald News. “His legacy will live on in all of them and, especially in his two children, Jordan and Joseph, who were his true pride and joy. He has always been and will always be a Raider!”
Sad news of his death was first shared Friday in an email from Brelsford to Somerset Berkley staff, students and parents.
Funeral services for Ramos are planned for this week, according to his obituary from Smith Funeral and Memorial Services.
Joseph A. Ramos, a longtime instructor at Somerset Berkley Regional High School, died suddenly on Thursday, Dec 5, at the age of 48.
Ramos inspired future engineers at Somerset Berkley
A native of Bristol, Rhode Island, Ramos graduated from Mount Hope High School in 1994 and was a 1998 graduate of Rhode Island College. He earned a master’s degree in Technology Education from Ball State University.
For the past 25 years, Ramos inspired his Engineering Design classes at the Somerset Berkley high school, piquing his students’ creativity and confidence with his own zeal for learning, curiosity, and wit. According to his obituary, Ramos was known for his hands-on and outside-the-box approach to teaching and often reminded his students that education wasn’t about memorizing facts but developing their higher order thinking skills. He encouraged his students to “find the engineer in you!” and “taught in a language kids could understand,” his obituary reads.
Described as “a national pioneer in the field of STEM,” Ramos launched a US Super STEM Competition and encouraged students to submit projects for consideration and scholarships. Ever an active member of the SBRHS community, Ramos routinely taught STEM programs during the summer, and other alternative courses, such as Lego Design and Technology Education, and organized “many bridge-building competitions.”
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An avid tennis player and ‘generous, upbeat’ family man
A previous member and recreational chair of the Touisset Point Community Club in Warren, Rhode Island, Ramos once built a Butterfly Ice Skating Pond for residents of Touisset, a neighborhood straddling Warren and Swansea, by “using his imagination, willpower, and a tractor,” his obituary reads.
An “accomplished” tennis player, he was “the top ranked singles player on his high school team, and also at the collegiate level,” where he played for Rhode Island College. A regular competitor of the Bristol 4th of July Tennis Tournament, he was inducted into the Bristol Athletic Hall of Fame in 2016, in addition to being a tennis instructor to “many communities.” On the court, he’s remembered for “demonstrating humble sportsmanship” and playing “with grace.”
Described as “the most supportive father” who “never missed an event,” Ramos is survived by his children, Jordan and Joseph II. He is said to have encouraged them to “always follow their ambitions.” He is also survived by his mother, Maria Ramos; his former wife and the mother of their children, Jenna Fales; his wife, Brooke Perry and her son, Brennan, as well as siblings and other family.
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Funeral services Tuesday and Wednesday
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 10, from 4 to 8 p.m. at 8 Schoolhouse Road, Warren, Rhode Island. A mass will take place Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 9 a.m. in St. Elizabeth’s Church, 577 Wood St., Bristol, Rhode Island, followed by a burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery on Chestnut Street in Bristol.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to SBRHS in care of Joseph Ramos Memorial fund. See the Smith Funeral & Memorial Services website for more details.
This article originally appeared on The Herald News: Funeral planned for late Somerset Berkley instructor Joseph Ramos