Ralph Gemignani was different things to different people. To his wife, he was the love of her life. To his colleagues, he was Captain. To his kids, he was Dad. To his grandkids he was Grandpa or Papa. To many, he was Ralph. Though, no matter what role he took, he was always someone people looked up to. No amount of words can properly describe what he meant to the people around him.
His passing took place on Monday January 29, 2024. Ralph was 80.
Ralph was born June 26, 1943 to his parents Ralph and Marie.
He married Angela Romano on September 4, 1965. Angela was his life partner and is among the family and friends who miss him today.
In 1964, Ralph enlisted in the Marine Corps and earned his Wings of Gold at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, in 1965. He then served as helicopter pilot in the Vietnam war. He is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Parkside with an accounting degree. Flying was his first occupational love, and he worked as a pilot for United Airlines for 34 years. Through his travels, he experienced many different cultures and liked to share those experiences with his family. Even though he traveled the world, Kenosha was always home and had a special place in his heart.
Ralph was a man who liked to learn. He often used technology to his advantage to learn to the fullest. Ralph often sat in his designated chair in the family/living room with his iPad, watching documentaries and reading voraciously. He often liked to learn one word from a different language every day, and encouraged his grandchildren to learn with him.
He is preceded in death by his parents Ralph and Marie, his in-laws John and Jennie Romano, and his younger brother Ron Gemig.
He is survived by his wife Angela, his sister Carole Mills, his brother Don Gemig, his children: Greg (Lora) Gemignani, Jeff (Lisa) Gemignani, Jennifer (Johan) LeGrange, and Sarah Gemignani (Ian Thompson), and his grandchildren: Dominic (Jillian) Gemignani, Genevieve Gemignani, Johnathan LeGrange, Amelia Gemignani, Luca Thompson, Gianni Thompson, and Nico Thompson.
Words pale in comparison to the life Ralph Gemignani has lived. He lived a rich, vibrant, colorful life, both in experience and in language. Life will be different without him, but as Oscar Wilde once said “Memory is the diary we all carry about with us.” Our memories are a testament to his life. We will always cherish them; for he definitely cherished the ones he made with his friends and family.
A memorial visitation will be held on Monday, February 5, 2024, from 10 am to 11:30 am at Proko Funeral Home with Military Honors starting promptly at 11:30 am, followed by a family remembrance. Inurnment will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, https://givenow.lls.org or School Sisters of St. Francis, https://www.sssf.org/Donate.htm.
