Paul Ragnetti of Glenwood passed away on Thursday, Oct. 19, 2023, at the Hudson Valley Hospital, Cortlandt, N.Y., after a short illness. He was 86.
He was born to Primo and Guerina Ragnetti in Brooklyn, where he resided until moving to Glenwood in 1975.
Paul’s life was spent proudly and tirelessly serving his family, his country and his community.
After graduating from St. Francis Preparatory School in 1955, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserves and served with the 77th Arcom Infantry Division.
He worked two and three jobs at a time to support his family until becoming a fireman for the Fire Department of the City of New York on Ladder Company 122 in Brooklyn in 1960, risking his life every day until his retirement in 1976.
He then continued his U.S. Army career on active duty through the Gulf War, retiring with the rank of Command Sergeant Major after 35 years of service.
He was then employed as a computer technician for MPL Systems in Totowa and BASF in Mount Olive.
Paul was the president of the Walnut Hill Country Club for more than 40 years.
The love story that drove Paul’s ambition started almost from birth. He and Dorothy Stapleton were born in the same Brooklyn hospital just 12 days apart. They lived a few blocks away from each other until meeting at the park at age 14 while she was roller skating and he was playing basketball.
They married at age 20 and spent the next 63 years holding hands, cherishing the beautiful family they created, and truly becoming one heart and one soul.
Paul lost the love of his life, Dorothy, in 2020 and his heart was truly never the same. He spent the past three years doing puzzles, watching sports and “Chicago PD and Fire,” and enjoying his 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren but always with the thought that it just wasn’t the same without his Dorothy.
In February 2023, Paul became part of the VA Montrose Community Living Center, where he could live comfortably surrounded by other soldiers and where he was cared for by a wonderful group of nurses, doctors and staff. They gave him purpose, reminded him of the pride that drove him each day, and made him laugh and smile every day without fail. He could not have received better care anywhere else and for that his family is forever grateful.
Paul also was predeceased by his beautiful granddaughter Lisa Hearn.
He was the devoted father of Paul A. Ragnetti of Sparta and his wife, Cathy; Laura Klee of Howell, Mich., and her husband, Keith; David Ragnetti of Wantage Township and his wife, Colleen; and Carol Ramage of Chapin, S.C. and her husband, David Franke. Paul will always be cherished by his 11 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, and though each of them would say differently, they were all his favorites.
The family received their friends at Ferguson-Vernon Funeral Home, 241 Route 94 (1 Vanderhoof Court for GPS), Vernon, on Oct. 24. A short funeral was held at the funeral home on Oct. 25 followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Francis de Sales RC Church, Vernon. Interment followed at St. Stanislaus Cemetery, Pine Island, N.Y.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation of your time and/or money to a local veterans support group. Sometimes all it takes is for you to spend a few minutes listening, learning what they endured and reminding them of their worth. Memorial gifts also may be made to the Make a Wish Foundation.
Information and condolences may be found at www.fergusonfuneralhomesnj.com