Irwin Ralph, 83

Irwin Ralph, a Rockville Centre resident for nearly 50 years, died peacefully in his home on Dec. 29 after a long illness.

Born in Brooklyn on Nov. 11, 1927, Ralph was a Certified Public Accountant who operated as a sole practitioner in the village for 35 years. The World War II-era veteran was a graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School and Long Island University.

Many in the community crossed paths with Ralph through his numerous activities — as president and treasurer of the Kiwanis Club, as treasurer of Friends of Senior Services, Inc. (FOSSI), as a board member of Temple B’nai Sholom, as president and treasurer of B’nai Brith, as treasurer of his Morris Avenue cooperative apartment building and as a member of the Rockville Centre Democratic Club and a current events club at the library.

He was known for his stories and jokes, some of which were cryptic, said Rhoda, his wife of 62 years, who met him in high school on a blind date. He loved to communicate and he loved people, she said, and they would come to him for advice because he made them feel at ease and was always upbeat. She described him as a man of fact and a man who loved his fellow man and his God. He was also very interested in justice, she said.

“He was just a great guy,” said John DiBari, a former Rockville Centre Kiwanis Club president. “[He was] very bright and always helping the community, anything he could do. He really knew how to save money. He was always well versed and certainly a team player. He provided excellent support to the club president, a real go-to guy with a lot of institutional knowledge.”

“He was a man who would always seek knowledge and in the work of our foundation, Pave the Way, he attended our three-day symposium in Rome and was part of our audience with Pope Benedict XVI,” said Gary Krupp, a client for 20 years who met Ralph in the Kiwanis Club in 1974. Krupp was also involved with him in B’nai Brith, as well as at Temple B’nai Sholom. “He was caring, professional and knowledgeable and our family will miss him very, very much,” Krupp said. “He was a wonderful and special man who was modest and always thoughtful of others.”

“I got to know Irwin through his position as a long-time board member of FOSSI,” said Chris O’Leary, the center’s deputy director. “As [its] treasurer, he often came into the senior center on business, and never failed to pop into my office to share a joke or a story. I always looked forward to seeing him, as he was always enthusiastic about his volunteer commitments, his many interests and his family. He will be missed.”

“Irwin was a positive, energetic person who loved helping other people,” said Village Justice Kevin McDonough, who worked with him at FOSSI. “He will be missed greatly by those who had the pleasure of knowing him.”  

In addition to Rhoda, Ralph leaves behind his children, Michael, Bill and Stuart. A daughter, Pamela Ralph Alkow, predeceased him. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Dustin, Jason and Katie Ralph and Ethan Alkow.

“Dad was a man of both exquisite simplicity and great nuance,” wrote his son, Bill. “Some aspects of his humor were clichéd and forthright and many people loved him for it. On the other hand his wit could be deeply ironic and quite profound. … One of his favorite songs was ‘Nature Boy’ and he sang it to me throughout my childhood. Only as a mature adult did I come to appreciate the broad scope and profound depth of its lyrics. The song’s ending speaks for itself: ‘The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.’”