Obituaries

Ralph S. Childs Jr.Banking Executive

Ralph S. Childs Jr., 80, a retired executive with Home Federal Savings Bank, died March 7 of complications of prostate cancer at his home in Silver Spring.

Mr. Childs, labeled "the dean of Washington banking" in a 1994 Washington Post article, was born in the District and grew up in Bethesda. He attended Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and graduated from Augusta Military Academy before serving in the Army Air Forces from 1945 to 1947, which included a year with the 9th Air Force in Europe.

He received a bachelor's degree from American University in 1952 and attended the Advanced Management School at the University of Southern California. Shortly after graduating from American, he joined Home Federal Savings and Loan as a teller. At the time, the bank was a three-person operation.

More than 40 years later, he recalled the bank's president, Frank S. Phillips, asking him what he knew about banking. "I think I can spell it," he replied.

"And the rest is history. I took my chances," he told The Washington Post.

He was named treasurer in 1964, a director in 1966 and executive vice president in 1973. He became president in 1977 and chief executive three years later.

He stepped down as president in 1989 and retired as chairman of the board in 1994, following the company's merger with First Union Corp. in a deal worth $25 million in First Union stock to Home Federal shareholders. When the acquisition was announced, the bank had $232 million in assets, $204 million in deposits and 85 employees.

Mr. Childs was an instructor for the Institute of Financial Education for 12 years and served as president of the Washington chapter in 1963-64. He also was director, vice president and executive committee member of the nonprofit D.C. Housing Industry Corp.and worked as an advocate for low-cost housing, the homeless and Meals on Wheels.

He played golf and enjoyed his backyard pool and the beach at Ocean City. He took pride in never missing a Christmas with his family, even when serving in the military. He left for Europe in late December 1946 and got back home the next year on Christmas Eve.

Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Dorothy H. Childs of Silver Spring; four children, Deborah Parsley of Silver Spring, Bruce Childs of Gaithersburg, Stephen Childs of Chesapeake, Va., and Barbara Hann of Rolling Hills Estates, Calif.; a sister; and 11 grandchildren.