Petrizzi, Ralph E.

Description

Ralph M Petrizzi

Ralph Mario Petrizzi was born to Dominick and Grace Petrizzi in Barile, Italy in 1915. He lived in the small, traditional town in inland Italy until he was 11. Then, his family, including his siblings Daniel, Benjamin and Helen, immigrated to the United States and settled in Rye. In Rye his family lived at 46 High St..

His father opened up a shoe making business and the children attended Rye public schools. With his background in Italian, Ralph took up romance languages at school and did exceptionally well, going on to study them at Middlebury College.

Ralph won prizes in French, and graduated top of the Rye High School class of 1935 and a member of the National Honor Society. He was also an excellent athlete, part of the track team, a golfer, ping pong player, and even a member of the chess team, exercising his brain.

After graduating high school and college, Ralph became a language teacher in Bainbridge Central High School. He married Theresa Carmella Tessa, also from Westchester.

In October of 1940 he enlisted and served with the US Army in WWII.

After tours of duty in both the European and Pacific Theaters of Operations. Ralph took his discharge in Manila in 1946 to accept an appointment as college instructor in French and Spanish. In 1947 he became speech instructor and Iater assistant chief of training In the Civilian personnel office of the Philippine Ryukyus Command. He would become chief of training with the US Air Force in the Philippines and Okinawa

Ralph would continue his work as a military advisor and management trainer before retiring to Austin, Texas.

Ralph Mario Petrizzi, 92, retired management trainer, of Austin died Wednesday, December 5, 2007. He was survived by his sons, David and Richard, and his daughter.