Ralph E. Sherman, of Chilmark, died on April 3 at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. He was 88.

Ralph was married in 1965 to Ethel May (Judge) Sherman while living in Berkley. The couple met while working in farming research.

He was born on April 25, 1932, in Fall River, to Alfred W. and Hannah (Griffiths) Sherman and grew up in Berkley and Dighton. He graduated from the Dighton High School where he excelled in sports and was on the state champion football team.

He worked in research farming and gardening for Russell Babbit in Berkley and then as a maintenance man for high pressure gas lines for Brockton and New Bedford gas companies.

Ralph and Ethel moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1973 to run the SBS Grain Store in Vineyard Haven across from the Steamship Authority and managed it until after it moved to State Road. They retired together as co-managers in 1988 after seeing the business run from the red to the black. He continued to work part-time until 2001.

He enjoyed fishing and was a constant derby fisherman since 1958. He enjoyed sports and played for the baseball twilight league until he was 32. He was an avid duckpin bowler and was always sought out for his knowledge of gardening and farming. He could be seen at the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market with his vegetables while Ethel would be selling her jams.

He is predeceased by his wife, Ethel, in September of 2014. He is survived by a step-son, Richard Bensing of Arkansas, and a niece, Andrea Pontes of Berkley.

A graveside service will be held at Abel’s Hill Cemetery in Chilmark on Sunday, April 18 at 1 pm.

Donations in his memory can be made to the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Program Scholarships — online at marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org or by mail: PO Box 73, West Tisbury, Mass. 02575.