Ralph Joseph Rizzo III

Ralph Joseph Rizzo, III, 67, of Raleigh, passed away on October 3, 2020. Born in Philadelphia and raised in Wisconsin, he moved to North Carolina in 1976. Ralph graduated from the University of Southern Indiana and was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph J. Rizzo and Janice L. Condon.

Ralph is survived by his wife of 18 years, Paige Rizzo as well as his son & daughter-in-law, Mason and Ashlee Rizzo of Youngsville. In addition, he is survived by siblings Glenn (Jennie) McVickar, Eric (Ying) McVickar, Jill (Donald) Waldoch and his stepfather Gene Condon.

Ralph was employed by Leith Automotive and Cary Oil Company until 2004. He spent the last 16 years working with JF Petroleum in parts and sales.

Ralph enjoyed cooking for a crowd. Whether creating one of his signature Italian dishes or preparing a Thanksgiving turkey, he was in his element when feeding family and friends. He also loved the outdoors - frequent walks around Falls Lake and in earlier years, adventurous hiking and camping trips.

With a keen interest in Native American culture, Ralph collected arrowheads and other artifacts in his travels. Ralph’s love of music was evident, both from his diverse CD collection and skillful guitar playing, which he particularly loved when getting together with his son and his lifelong friends from Wisconsin.

Plans for a memorial service are pending. The family requests that in memory of Ralph, donations may be made to A Place at the Table https://tableraleigh.org/ Carolina Basset Hound Rescue https://cbhr.com/ or the charity of your choice.

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