A. Ralph Kristeller MD

On Thursday, November 26, 2020, Adrian Ralph Kristeller, Jr., died of an unexpected heart attack at his home in East Hanover, NJ. “Ralph” was born in Newark, NJ, in 1928, the first child of Adrian Ralph Kristeller, DDS and Regina Grotta Kristeller. Ralph grew up in Maplewood, NJ, graduating from Columbia High School in 1946. Upon graduation he attended Norwich University in VT, graduating in 1950. Ralph then attended Medical School at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1954. He completed his medical internship and residency requirements in San Francisco and Texas. He obtained his pilot’s license while serving on active duty with the Army Air Corps.

As a Captain in the Army Air Corps, Ralph’s first tour of duty was at Tripler Hospital, Oahu, Hawaii. Ralph was then stationed at Otis Air Force Base, Cape Cod, MA. In 1962, Ralph was honorably discharged from military service and returned home to Millburn, NJ, where he began a lengthy and successful private practice in Internal Medicine. After 30 years of private practice, Ralph began a second career in Hospital Administration, working at Christ Hospital in Red Bank, NJ, and then with the Joint Commission, an organization that surveys hospitals national wide, for compliance with accreditation standards.

Ralph next turned his attention to actively championing causes he believed in through the NJ Medical Society and AMA, where he maintained active memberships for over 50 years. He received numerous awards for his contributions to the medical profession. Suffice to say, there are few NJ physicians who did not know him personally, or know of his reputation.

Ralph credited his professional successes as a physician to the discipline he learned from his years at Norwich, and the education he received from the University of Pennsylvania. He was grateful for those opportunities and believed it was important to give back to each of these institutions. Ralph remained active in Norwich University alumni affairs, and in 2002, endowed a Scholarship in his name. He relished his biannual trips to Vermont for Fall Homecoming, and then for the Spring Scholarship Award Ceremony where he enjoyed personally congratulating the Cadet recipient of his scholarship. Ralph also gave back to the University of Pennsylvania, actively participating in their Phi Delta Epsilon Medical Fraternity for years. He belonged to UPenn’s NYC Club, and he was an elected Officer of the UPenn Regional Alumni Club. He participated on the Reunion Committee for his Medical Class, and attended Penn’s Homecoming Weekend annually. In 1983, in recognition of Ralph’s years of dedication to the University, he received their Alumni Award of Merit.

Ralph was a long time, proud member of Temple B’nai Jeshurun, founded by his ancestors in the 1840’s when they immigrated to Newark from Germany. He turned 13 one week before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, which interrupted his Bar Mitzvah studies. He proudly completed his studies 67 years later, becoming a Bar Mitzvah at the age of 80. Ralph maintained a dedicated association with the Congregation and Clergy of Temple B’nai Jeshurun throughout his life.

Ralph also enjoyed organizing High School Reunions with his surviving classmates and reminiscing about how Maplewood had changed, and yet stayed the same. Ralph stayed active with the local Model Railroad Club, having amassed an impressive collection of brass engines and cars. Ralph never lost his affinity for Oahu, and maintained a second residence there for many years. He began taking surfing lessons at the age of 85, captioning the picture of his first lesson, “You can teach an old dog new tricks.”

Ralph is survived by his sister, Fern Bindelglass of New York; his three daughters: Daliza Crane of Pennsylvania, Lee Cording (nee Mayda Lee) of California, and Deborah Moed of Massachusetts; and four grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Lena Gala Kristeller. Ralph is interred in the Grotta-Kristeller family mausoleum of Congregation B’nai Jeshurun Cemetery, Elizabeth, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the estate requests that donations be made in blessed memory of Dr. A. Ralph Kristeller to Temple B’nai Jeshurun, Short Hills, NJ.