Ralph Andrew Citarella of Howell passed away Nov. 5, 2022, after a valiant fight with glioblastoma. Ralph was born Feb. 17, 1961, in Red Bank. He was predeceased by his father Andrew Citarella and his mother Maria DiFiore Citarella.
Ralph was the fourth-generation owner of his family’s 121-year-old business, Citarella’s Market, where he was known for his sense of humor and love of good Italian food. He was a real character with a big personality and an even bigger heart. He loved making people laugh and would regale his friends, relatives and customers with stories about his prized dogs and his many hunting accomplishments.
He loved playing football at Red Bank Regional and boxing at the PAL. He enjoyed fixing up and showing his custom van in car shows. He was a big music fan, especially of Sinatra, whom he loved to sing along to. He had a lifelong passion for hunting, especially deer hunting on his own land, and was an accomplished bowyer. He was such a skilled hunter that, to steal a line from a Disney movie, “He used antlers in all of his decorating!”
Ralph was a favorite with children and knew just how to make everything fun with his funny voices and invented silly games.
Ralph will be painfully missed by his partner of 42 years, his wife Jeanne Schaffer; his daughter Susan Brown and son-in-law Anthony; and the joys of his life, his granddaughters, Abigail, Sophia and Adriana Brown; as well as his brother, Andrew Citarella; sister and brother-in law, Angela and Tony Liberatore; his nieces Maria Pollard, Jennifer Nelson, Christina Friscia and Julia Nelson; and his five grand-nieces and nephews.
Memorial visitation was Nov. 9 at John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank. Casting ceremony will be private.
Donations can be made in Ralph’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or The Glioblastoma Foundation.
The article originally appeared in the November 17 – 23, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
