Obituary of Ralph J. Ercole

When someone you love becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure. Ralph Joseph Ercole, a longtime Morristown resident, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by the love of his family on Sunday, April 28, 2024. He was 64 years young. Ralph was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 28, 1960, and was the cherished son of Josephine and Abramo Ercole (1934-1976). Josephine and Abramo filled Ralph’s life with love, tradition, and family values, which he instilled in his own family.

Ralph leaves behind his beloved wife of 37 years, Colleen Ercole (née Clark); four devoted children, Jonathan Ercole and his wife Jessica, Justin Ercole and his significant other Emily, Christian Ercole and his wife Amy, and Gabrielle Ercole and her significant other Matthew; his loving mother, Josephine Ercole; one sister, Ann Marie Ercole; one brother, Joseph Ercole; his cherished grandchildren, Reagan Rose, Riley Josephine, and Reid David; his treasured dog, Bowie; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

Ralph grew up in Dix Hills and attended South Ridge Elementary School and Green Meadows Junior High. Shortly after the loss of his father, he graduated as valedictorian from Commack High School. Ralph went on to pursue higher education at Fordham University - College of Business Administration, where he excelled academically and earned a B.S. in finance with summa cum laude honors. During these formative college years, he lived with his Aunt Marge, Uncle Ted, and cousins Eddie and Steve in the Bronx. 

Upon graduating, Ralph began his successful career on Wall Street working for O’Connor & Associates and quickly became Vice President of U.S. Specialist Operations.  He continued to progress in his career and served as a key employee at various other institutions such as Bear Sterns, Lehman Brothers, Knight Financial Products, Vicis Capital Management and several other organizations.  

Despite his professional achievements, Ralph viewed his greatest accomplishment as his beloved family. He married his soulmate, Colleen, on March 21, 1987 and they settled in Morristown where they built a beautiful life together and raised their four children: Jonathan, Justin, Christian and Gabrielle.

As an avid sports fan, Ralph served as the coach for several of his children’s sports teams, attending athletic events with them and supporting them in all their academic and co-curricular pursuits. His family fondly remembers Ralph’s interest in cooking and grilling for nightly family dinners, particularly his spicy sausage and peppers, which he made on a routine basis. Acting as a master of the grill always brought him so much happiness. He cherished every moment with his grandchildren and was blessed to have made so many memories with them - they absolutely adored their “Poppy”. When Ralph wasn’t spending time with his children or grandchildren, he could be found with his golden retrievers, Ryder and Bowie.

Ralph continued sacrificing and working to provide for his family until his last day. They all turned to him for advice and will continue to seek his guidance through prayer in the future. There is no doubt that Ralph had an impact on everyone he met. He was a pillar of wisdom, guidance and strength for all.

Despite the deep sadness in his family's hearts, they take comfort in knowing that he is now at peace, watching over his most prized and cherished achievements from above. With his early departure, Ralph had so much more love to give and smiles to be had. We hope we can all honor his legacy in the years to come. He will be with us every Yankee and Giants game we watch, football cake and rainbow cookie we eat, and every achievement and milestone we make. He is deeply missed and will continue to be for the rest of our days.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend a visitation for Ralph from 1pm to 5pm EST on Sunday, May 5, held at the Madison Memorial Home, 159 Main Street, Madison, NJ 07940.

Funeral services will begin at 11am EST on Monday, May 6 celebrated at Saint Mary’s Abbey located at 230 Mendham Road, Morristown, NJ 07960.For those who wish or are unable to attend, the mass may be livestreamed by visiting this link.

Charitable contributions may be made in Ralph’s memory to support the family during this time.