Ralph Zinzi

Ralph David Zinzi transitioned from this earth officially at 2:37pm on Tuesday, October 13, 2026 at Calvary Hospital. He was the oldest of four children born to Nicholas and Pearl Zinzi of the Bronx, New York. At age six, he was stricken with polio and quarantined for some time. When released from the facility, his parents insisted that he have a normal childhood. Therefore until you saw him walk with his signature limp, you were unaware of his disability. He played sports, drove with his left foot, coached basketball and softball teams.

He had a great childhood, surrounded by loving parents, siblings, cousins, and a plethora of aunts and uncles. After graduating from high school, he attended City College of New York and chose to major in engineering. It quickly became clear that this was not his forte and switched to his real love of history, graduating with a Bachelor of Liberal Arts and Science. He then went off to graduate school in Buffalo, New York but the freezing weather and snow sent him home before the semester ended. This pivot sent him to London, England by ship (because he was afraid to fly) where he stayed for six months creating some of his fondest memories.

Realizing that he had to earn a living, he applied to be a caseworker for the City Of New York and for several of the Public Assistance Centers throughout the boroughs. He made many friends and rose through the system to become a supervisor and ultimately the Director of Labor Relations for the Human Resources Administration (HRA). He was a history buff, sports fan (go Knicks, Giants and Mets - ugh), music lover, New York Times Sunday crossword puzzle solver and Spelling Bee “Genius”, bid whist player, and especially enjoyed his monthly poker games with Carl, Lou, Charlie, and Eric. He was a Board President at the Community Church at the Circle, Mount Vernon, New York, and also active at the Community Church of the Pelhams. He was an avid swimmer who worked out three times a week religiously, and taught his daughter how to swim. But alas he failed to do the same for his wife who still can’t tread water.

According to him, his greatest achievements were meeting his wife, Margie, on a visit to one of his sites in the Bronx; and his pride and joy, daughter, Janna. In addition to his wife and daughter, he is survived by his sister, Gelsa Staley(Tom) Hudson, Florida, four nephews, bonus daughters, Melissa Miller, Bronx, New York and Christine Watts(and bonus granddaughter Maya) Orlando, Florida.

We love you lots, Daddy’O.