Ralph F. Gossler ’49

Ralph F. Gossler ’49, of Seekonk, Mass.; Mar. 5. He was the founder of American Trophy in East Providence, R.I., a family business still operating. During high school he was an elite swimmer and by his senior year at Pawtucket High School he ranked first in the nation. He defended his national freestyle record and, in doing so, set a new national record for a long course pool, a record held at Pawtucket High School for 27 years. After the war, he resumed his education at Brown and set a New England intercollegiate record in the sprint events. In 1984, he was inducted into the Rhode Island Aquatic Hall of Fame. After college he began designing and casting trophies out of post-war scrap metal in the basement of the house he grew up in and his wife, Virginia Gately Gossler ’50—whom he met at Brown and who predeceased him—made hand-engraved plates for the trophies. American Trophy grew through the years, headquarted in a building in East Providence, and they ran it for 48 years before selling it to their son and son-in-law. Ralph continued to stay involved part-time in the business but also enjoyed riding his bike 20 miles each day, writing, and painting. At the time of his death he was completing a memoir, and some of his artwork had been shown in a Warren (R.I.) gallery. He is survived by a daughter and son-in-law, and a son and daughter-in-law.