Ramnarine Rampersaud

Fred (80), loving father of 3, grandfather of 3 and brother of 12, was born Ramnarine Rampersaud in New Amsterdam, the capital of East Berbice-Corentyne, Guyana on August 14, 1946. Fred was later baptized in a Lutheran church and given the baptism name Fredrick. Fred passed away peacefully in hospice care at St John's Riverside, Dobbs Ferry, New York, the morning of Monday October 5, 2026. His three sons Raj, Ryan and Randy were by his side. Fred lived a remarkable life full of love, with unparalleled strength, generosity and purpose. He lived with passionate intention, to improve the lives of the people he loved. He was a true man for others, and a role model of hard work, dedication and self-sacrifice. His life could have been a novel about a young man coming to America for a better life, but it was important to him that his children, his grandchildren, his siblings, his nieces and nephews, wrote the chapters of better lives for themselves. A stronger person never walked the planet, his family is blessed and filled with love, thanks to this incomparable father, grandfather, brother and husband.

Fred was born to a loving family in New Amsterdam, Guyana on August 14, 1946 to Stanley Rampersaud Mungul and Agatha. He was the 7th of 13 siblings [6 boys and 7 girls]. Fred was born after 3 sisters, Shirely, Zeta and Norma, which in Guyana was seen to be an auspicious birth for a family. This certainly proved true. Their home was bustling with children and filled with love. Stanley and Agatha raised their children on an estate with a large farm, growing produce and flowers. Fred's parents, and their parents before them were of Indian descent who were part of the diaspora of Indians from the Indian subcontinent to what was then the British West Indies. Stanley was very influenced by the businessmen in New Amsterdam who sold produce and flowers across Guyana, and more broadly across South America. After Fred was born, along with his older children, Stanley started commercializing the harvest from their farm and became very successful. Stanley also built cottages on his farm and rented them to farm workers and students. Fred would learn a great deal from his father, and brought that entrepreneurial mindset with him to the United States years later. When Fred was young Stanley had gotten very sick and would frequently go to a Lutheran church nearby to pray, he promised if he got better he would be baptized. Thankfully he did, and was baptized along with some of his family This was a meaningful event for Fred, he would become very religious later in life. Fred taught English and Math at a school in a neighboring village, but he wanted greater education for himself. Fred admired many of the teachers and professionals in his village. Particularly doctors, he promised himself when he was young that he would send his own children to medical school one day. Fred discussed his education with his father who eventually agreed that Fred could leave Guyana and go to the United States to work and attend school. In 1968, Fred's best friend Habeeb Khan left Guyana and moved to New York, where he knew some other young ambitious Guyanese men had moved. Habeeb went first and called Stanley's house a few months later, leaving a message with one of Fred's siblings with a phone number that Fred should call when he arrived in New York. In the spring of 1968, Fred was 21 years old and he left Guyana with $19 USD in his pocket and that phone number. This brave journey would ultimately create a path for so many to achieve a better life and success in the United States.

Thank God Habeeb picked up that phone call when Fred arrived in New York. Habeeb and a number of other young Guyanese emigrants shared apartments in midtown Manhattan. They were on 32nd street, not far from Madison Square garden, and Habeeb and Fred shared an apartment with 4 other young men from Guyana. Fred later shared many stories of New York in the sixties with his sons, the area was worlds different than it is today. Fred and Habeeb worked in a factory in the East Village, working long hours, but enjoying this Guyanse transplant community and New York City. Fred met Rohnie Persaud, living in this building and they were married in March of 1969. They shared the same values growing up in a large family in Guyana, Rohnie was 1 of 12 children, and she emigrated to the United States for the same reasons, a better life for the children who would be blessed to follow. They both intended to help their remaining siblings in Guyana emigrate to the United States. They moved to the Bronx and ultimately bought 3 houses on the same street over the years, in a wonderful Catholic community of people who like Fred and Rohnie emigrated from different parts of the world for a better life for their children.

Throughout the course of the 70s and 80s many of Fred's and Rohnie's siblings came to the United States, recreating a loving Guyanese community in the tri-state area, and reuniting siblings to build new lives for themselves and their children to come. Fred and Rohnie were particularly instrumental in sponsoring Rohnie's younger siblings to come to the United States. Their first home was where they all lived for a period of time, and it was effectively the "Ellis Island'' of the Persaud family. Everyone still lovingly calls this “The Big House." Everyone made a life changing stop there, before continuing on to successful, wonderful lives of their own. The house was filled with love, happiness, laughter, and gratitude. They all helped each other find the "American Dream" they were looking for, educating themselves, and each finding new partners to share their lives with in America. Many of Rohnie's younger siblings celebrated their marriages in that house. Today, there are happy, proud, successful cousins living throughout the United States and Canada, many of them are doctors, lawyers, healthcare workers, teachers, financial services leaders - Due in large part to this loving collective family unit, the values they share, and the courage Fred and Rohnie had to come to the United States in 1968.

Fred worked while putting himself through college, he graduated from Lehman College in the Bronx with a degree in Accounting. In 1971 Fred secured a job at Empire Blue Cross and Blue Shield, where he would loyally work for 37 years before retiring. Professionally Fred was an accountant, but he taught himself how to be a plumber, an electrician and a carpenter. Like his father, Fred decided to turn the "Big House" into a rooming house when his family moved out. He rented 15 rooms in that house, to young men from the Caribbean, all trying to start their lives. He helped them find jobs, mainly as tradesmen, while many of them put themselves through school. He treated them like family, and just like his own family offered them a role model and a blueprint for success in the US. Fred worked in that house every day, no matter how tired he was when he came home from his corporate 9-5 job, he went to the house to make sure his investment and the young men living in it were thriving. His sons fondly remember his daily routine after work, he would come home at the same time every day, wearing a tailored suit, smelling of Grey Flannel cologne with New York City subway tokens jingling in his pocket. He would change into a new work uniform, have dinner with his family, talk about school with each of his sons, then it was time for his second job. He was building the means to pay for his children's education, but he was also creating a platform for others.

On April 24, 1971, Dr. Rajendra (Raj) Rampersaud (55), Rohnie and Fred's oldest son, was blessed to be born into this loving community. He was the first cousin born in the United States, and in him he fulfilled the dreams that Fred and Rohnie and every Aunt and Uncle in that house had to create a new life. With Fred, Rohnie and all those Aunts and Uncles’ love and support, Raj went on to become a doctor and touch the lives of countless people in the Westchester New York community. Raj is keeping those values instilled in him in raising his son Aakash Rampersaud (19) who is Fred and Rohnie's first grandchild. Aakash is opening the next chapter for the Rampersaud family, he is currently a sophomore at the University of St Andrews in Scotland.

On April 24,1977, 6 years to the date Ryan Rampersaud (49) was born, Fred and Rohnie's second son. Ryan has been blessed to find a career in Finance, which has allowed him to live in various parts of the world and meet his wife Rythm. They have two amazing children Ryley (12) and Raniya (10). Ryan and Rythm kept the “RR” naming tradition that was so special to Fred and Rohnie. Ryley attends Tribeca Prep and Raniya attends Sacred Heart, both in Manhattan.

On December 29, 1981, Randy Rampersaud (44) was born, Fred and Rohnie's third son, completing the Rampersaud family. Randy shares a special bond with many of his cousins, as they all grew up in this new generation of "American Cousins" who love and support each other, living the dreams of their parents. Randy is a radiology technician, who has been able to volunteer and travel the world teaching healthcare providers in undeveloped communities how to use advances in radiology equipment, including the hospital system in Guyana, multiple times. Randy is also a professor in New York City, and carries his parents' passion for teaching others. Randy graduated from Fred's alma mater, Lehman College.

Fred retired from Blue Cross and Blue Shield in 2008, after 37 dedicated years. In 2009, at Raj's request Fred changed his primary care physician to one of Raj's partners. It ended up saving his life. A lung scan revealed Fred had Stage 4 lung cancer. Fred remained a rock for his family, his surgery removed 30% of his lung capacity, and he bravely received chemotherapy and radiation. He was given a single digit percent chance of living 5 years. In 2011, another mass was removed from his lung, removing another 8% of his lung capacity. In 2013, another mass was removed, removing another 8% of his lung capacity, sadly Fred also had a spinal metastasis. Fred continued fighting and had chemotherapy and radiation treatments again. Fred was fortunate to be part of two clinical trials, taking oral medications from 2009 to 2025, which proved effective. In February of 2026, Fred was diagnosed with MDS, the cancer was causing his bone marrow to fail. Fred, as always, bore down and followed his team of doctor's plans. He took oral chemotherapy, received blood and platelet transfusions, managed his pain with various pain killers - and never complained, but he became increasingly weak and transfusion dependent.

On the morning of Monday October 5, 2026 Fred Rampersaud, the warrior and the loving architect of so many success stories passed away in hospice care in the treatment of a wonderful team at St John's Hospital and his son Dr Raj. All three of his sons were with Fred. Words cannot describe how much he will be missed, and no unit of measure can calculate the impact that Fred made on the lives of others, especially his 3 sons.

Dad was the greatest. He loved sports, and in sports greatness can be measured in many ways. One way is the confidence and hope a player gives his teammates when they are down. Teammates of Michael Jordan and Tom Brady said they never felt out of a game, they had greatness on their side."Our guy is better than your guy." No deficit was too large, they had greatness, which resulted in confidence and hope. That's how we felt about Dad. No challenge was insurmountable because we had him. He beat cancer, he wasn't supposed to live 18 years past his first cancer diagnosis, he had a small chance of living 5 years. He gave us 13 more, so as always he fought hard, and others won. Dad will live forever in our hearts and souls, and his legacy will live on in the actions of the people who loved him so dearly.

We love you Dad - Raj, Ryan and Randy...

We love you Grandpa - Aakash, Ryley and Raniya...

We love you Fred - Berry, Rosie, Issac, Shirley, Zeta, Norma, Oscar, Sulsie, Dorothy, Navin, Sonita and Victor...

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Lung Association: https://donate.cancer.org

Visiting Hours will be held at Whalen & Ball Funeral Home, 168 Park Ave, Yonkers, NY 10703 on Thursday October 8, 2026, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm.

A Funeral Service will be held at Whalen & Ball Funeral Home, 168 Park Ave, Yonkers, NY 10703 on Thursday October 8, 2026, from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm.

Final Disposition is private.