Ralph L. Passannanti

January 15, 2022

Ralph Passannanti passed away on Saturday, January 15, 2022. The new news hit hard for all who loved him, causing a painful emotion best described as pure sadness. “Uncle Ralph” to most of his family and “Ralph” to his friends, he led a simple life with a ginormous heart, full of acts of service and kindness. Ralph was a sweet and sentimental man, seemingly contradictory to his big and burly exterior, thick New York accent and more than four decades spent driving big rig trucks (tow, plow, garbage, school) for the department of public works in Yonkers. Able to navigate through Westchester County better than any GPS, Ralph filled with pride when telling his stories about always being “the one” asked to bring fire engines out of state for repairs. His exceptional driving skills even helped family members get an enormous jackknifed moving truck out of their condo parking lot with just three turns of the wheel. When Ralph wasn’t driving he loved exploring auto shows, especially at Bear Mountain where he was a regular. He also spent countless happy hours visiting his loyal and true friends at the Sunoco in Yonkers. As a boy, Ralph spent many blissful days on the shores of Rhode Island at Aunt Elsa’s beach house. There he developed a love for swimming in the ocean and surfing the waves. He shared that love with his nieces and nephews, spending countless hours playing with them in hotel pools and lifeguarding them in the ocean in Maine. What sets Ralph apart was his boundless generosity and thoughtfulness. Always thinking of others. He was famous for bringing everyone a world-class Italian cheesecake on Thanksgiving - no small feat with his large family and big circle of friends! To remember Ralph means remembering what it means to be loved. It has been said that you teach others how to love you. For Ralph, this meant being who he was. He dressed for comfort in clean white t-shirts, sent thoughtful packages to those who cared about, and shared all his hard earned cash generously. “How is everyone?” Ralph called his loved ones on every birthday, holiday and other important occasions, always keeping it brief but never failing to ask about each and every family member – and ending each discussion with “I love you”. We love you too, Ralph Passannanti. You will be sorely missed.