Leon D. Ralph, 74; turned to the ministry after serving in state Assembly

Bishop Leon D. Ralph, a once-powerful state legislator who in 1976 abruptly left politics to accept a calling to the ministry, died Tuesday at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. He was 74.

The cause of death has not been determined, his wife, Ruth Banda-Ralph, said.

Ralph was born and raised in Richmond, Va., the son of a Pullman porter and an entrepreneur. During the Korean War, he served in the Air Force and later settled in Los Angeles.

After a seven-year career in aerospace at Douglas Aircraft, Ralph entered politics, inspired by his work on the 1960 presidential campaign of John F. Kennedy.

Ralph, who had earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Redlands , served as an administrative assistant to former Democratic Speaker of the Assembly Jesse Unruh.

In 1966 Ralph, a Democrat, was elected to the state Assembly to represent the 55th District, which later became the 48th District.

Working in the district, which at the time included Watts and a part of Compton, allowed him to serve “the poor, the disenfranchised, those who didn’t have an ability to speak for themselves,” his wife said Friday in an interview. “He loved championing their causes.”

During his tenure in the Legislature, Ralph served as chairman of the Assembly Rules Committee, a powerful position.

Over the years, Ralph was known as an ally of liquor and gambling interests. In response to critics, he argued that gambling was a public issue and that opponents were attempting to legislate morality.

“I think the churches’ responsibility is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and if they preach that, it will take care of people’s behavior, “ he told a Times reporter in 1976.

But that same year, Ralph underwent a spiritual transformation. He conceded that churches were right to oppose gambling. Later, he unexpectedly announced that he would not seek reelection and instead was founding a church.

“I couldn’t keep doing both,” he told a Times reporter. “I’d be shortchanging either the Lord or my constituents.”

In Sacramento, Ralph founded and was bishop of the Interdenominational Church of God of America, a multiethnic, evangelistic church that now has affiliate churches around the world. Ralph was pastor of Crossing Ministry in Long Beach.

His departure from politics did not end his public service. After the 1992 L.A. riots, Ralph helped build a 47-unit housing complex for low-income residents, provided job training and served as chairman of the South Los Angeles Ministerial Alliance.

“He had a warm laugh and generous spirit that engaged” people and served him well in his community work, said David Abel, a longtime friend, who worked with Ralph on education issues.

In addition to his wife, Ruth, Ralph is survived by his children from two previous marriages: Mardi Jackson and Ruth Ralph of Los Angeles, Leon Ralph Jr. of San Diego, and Tiffany Ralph and Tony Ralph of Sacramento; his stepchildren, whom he considered his children, Maya Banda and Vicente Banda of Long Beach; and several grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held Monday at 3 p.m. at Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Road, Whittier, CA 90601.

jocelyn.stewart@latimes.com