Sunday, February 25, 2024
Stan George shared this with Ralph’s tennis friends:
I know many of you know Ralph Fanizzi. He played in the doubles game I ran for 10 years and has been playing in Joe's game for the last year or two.
Ralph passed away Monday (2/5). Ralph's wife Vicki said Ralph was in perfect health. He played 9 holes of golf the day before and the wives met them for dinner. He had a Hemorrhagic stroke. No warning signs at all! Never able to speak at all.
Sue and I were friends with Ralph and Vicki for over 30 years. We had a weekly mixed doubles tennis game with them for many years and would go out to dinner afterwards. We visited each other’s houses for pool, bacchii, and barbeques frequently.
Sue and Vicki both stopped playing tennis during Covid due to bad knees, ending our weekly tennis and dinner get-togethers. We were thrilled when Vicki and Ralph started playing pickleball and we resumed our weekly matches on the pickleball court just a month or so ago, followed again by going out to dinner. We all thought we had found a second lease on the fun we had playing and being together - and we were looking forward to many years of that!
Ralph and I had our own style of friendship and comradery, joking and kidding around with pointed comments about the silly things we would both do. When I would say or do something particularly outrageous, Ralph would tilt his head and say "WHAT IS THE MATTER WITH YOU?" Then we would both laugh. I think it's easier for men to act like this than express their true feelings of friendship and respect. But we both knew.
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Charles Jacobson
Stan,
Thanks for the sharing of the news and your relationship.
I am sorry for your loss.
I especially enjoyed playing in the games you organized when Ralph was involved. He was a very friendly person who took the time to say hello and ask how things were going for me.
He will be missed.
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Charlie Schnier
Oh Stan,
That is horrible news, I am so sorry to hear this.
Ralph lived right near me in Bayville.
Couldn’t Find a nicer gentleman
Condolences to Ralph’s family and yours
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Neil Foehrenbach
I appreciate letting me know. Ralph and I went to high together. Besides playing tennis at Bethpage we always met at our high school golf outing at Inwood Country Club. I will let our class president know so he can notify other members of the class.
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Corrado Vasquez
Hi Stan, I am simply shocked and heart broken hearing this terrible news! Ralph was one of the nicest guys in the lineup and he sure seemed to be in fine shape too. How old was he?? My God, all I hear is bad news all over the place. I’m sorry for your friends loss Stan. March 1st is kind of a long way off, but I will try and make it.
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Rich Hume
Stan, thanks for your eloquence in writing about Ralph, your remembrances are on the money. I’m trying to wrack my brain to think of the last time I saw Ralph on the court, and connecting with how unbelievable it is that that would be the last time we encountered each other in this life. It is a sobering reminder to us all that we aren’t promised tomorrow, and to value the time we have together, on the surface through tennis, but in reality it’s a brotherhood that transcends that.
If cheerfulness, joyfulness and friendliness are qualities that we are judged on, Ralph surely get a pass “straight to heaven”.
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Tom Bilski
Thank you Rich. It couldn’t have been said better.
Ralph was a joy, a good man.
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Joe Menichini
I am so saddened to hear this. Just reiterating what a funny, easy going, and delightful man Ralph was. He will be sorely missed.
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Stu Kesner
Ralph was always a very kind, courteous person. I enjoyed his company on the courts. He will be missed.
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Roger Dibenedetto
So sorry to hear the news. He was such a breath of fresh air on the tennis court. Looked forward to seeing him each week back in the day. Sorry you lost such a good friend. Stan, I wish I had gotten to see him one more time. I have retired and moved on to live in Charleston, South Carolina. I hope all the best for you and Sue. Your friend will be missed.
