University of Dayton alumnus Ralph Hamberg, 78, passed away Friday, Sept. 8. His family started an endowment for the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop that is held every other spring at UD, according to a recent press release.

Hamberg graduated from UD in 1956 with a bachelor's degree in marketing. He and his wife, Cindy, gave an endowment in 2004 for the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, which was started in 2000.

Cindy's cousin, Brother Tom Price, was a UD English professor who encouraged Bombeck to submit her humorous writing to UD's literary magazine. Bombeck made a career writing humorous books and syndicated columns.

The gift that the Hambergs gave has allowed the workshop to continue successfully.

'Ralph and Cindy provided critical financial support for the writers' workshop,' said Tim Bete, director of the Erma Bombeck Writers' Workshop, in a recent press release. 'The endowment they created helps keep workshop registration fees reasonable, making it affordable to more writers.'

'I last spoke to Ralph after the Dave Barry dinner at the March 2006 workshop,' Bete continued. 'Ralph was beaming. He was very proud of his involvement with the writers' workshop and Brother Tom Price's connection with Erma. The 2008 workshop won't be the same without Ralph.'

Hamberg is survived by his wife, Mary Lucinda 'Cindy' Price; a son and daughter-in-law, Barth and Mary Alice Hamberg, of Sitka, Alaska; two daughters and sons-in-law, Tracy and Doug Jones, of Cincinnati, and Cara and Greg Holdener, of Belleville, Ill. He is also survived by six grandchildren, four sisters, two brothers and many nieces and nephews.