Mr Ralph Michael Ravanesi

Ralph M. Ravanesi passed away at the age of 89 on July 3, 2026 in the comforts of his Wheaton home with members of his family at his side. He was active right up to the last few weeks, enjoying the presence of a large family birthday party in May for wife Dianne on a beautiful spring day in their decked-out garage. Ralph was born in Melrose Park and raised in a “5-flat” three-story building on 24th Avenue & Augusta with his parents Joseph and Katherine, sister Ginger, Grandparents Rafaele and Mary, Uncle Dave, Aunt Rose, Uncle Charley, Aunt Caroline and many cousins. To say the least, he had many eyes on him growing up that kept him out-of-trouble. On top of that, his parents sent him to Mt. Carmel grade school that Ralph described as being under the authority and strict rules of Catholic nuns. Contrary to a regimented upbringing, he enjoyed his middle-school years tinkering in auto repair with father Joe, working puzzles with mother Katherine (Kay), telling jokes with Uncle Johnny and cousin Jerry, fishing in Salt Creek with Uncle Frank and cousin Skip, celebrating the return of Uncle Matthias (Mutze) from WWII, searching for unexploded fireworks after the Melrose Park Italian Feast, and working in the Melrose Park Bowling Alley setting pins. He later worked as a warehouse clerk for the family business of SERVICE PARTS, which supplied HVAC components to the military during and after WWII. Ralph attended Proviso East High School where he participated in track, baseball and football. He would have been part of the Proviso East 1953 IL State championship Baseball team with future professional athletes Lee Stange and Ray Nitschke, if he had not broken his leg in sports earlier that year. In 1958, Ralph became one of the first in his extended family to go to college and earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of IL - Champaign. He studied electronics and system electrical circuits at U of I before the word computer became common. After graduation he married Dianne Pranno at Mt. Carmel church and raised 4 children in Villa Park and Glen Ellyn. Dianne and Ralph celebrated 67 years of marriage in September 2025. Ralph was sophisticated and detailed but also a gentle, soft-spoken family man who immensely enjoyed his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, mentoring, teaching, traveling, building, astronomy, earth science, puzzles, birding, local history and collecting relics of his past. He was instrumental in influencing the Melrose Park Historical Society to obtain the “KIDDIELAND” amusement park sign after Costco purchased the property for development in 2010. Some of his most memorable professional experiences included working for RIDL as a consultant to JPL and NASA where he has various patents on satellite communication systems and radiation detection equipment including the 1962 discovery of higher-than-expected solar radiation levels in the Van Allen radiation belt over the earth’s atmosphere. Ralph was also the lead engineer for the Stewart Warner Company in 1969 that designed and built first computer animated scoreboards displays at Pittsburg Three Rivers Stadium, Cincinnati River Front Stadium, Philadelphia Veteran’s Stadium and Stadiums in Kansas City for the Chiefs and Royals. Ralph also has patents on electronic circuitry for radiation cancer treatment equipment, robotic welding, Brunswick Automatic Bowling Score systems, security card reader systems for ComEd Nuclear Power Plants and ColecoVision (modern-day Nintendo) for 1982 arcade electronic graphics system Donkey Kong. Ralph is survived by Dearly Beloved wife Dianne Ravanesi; Loving Father of Steven (Karen) Ravanesi, Mark (Cathleen) Ravanesi; Michael (Jose de Jesus Gutierrez) Ravanesi, Stacey (JoAnn DiSalvo) Ravanesi; Dear Son of the late Joseph and Katherine Ravanesi; Cherished Grandfather of Jessica (Chris) Nimietz, Scott (Allie) Ravanesi, Jackie (Kyle) Skarb, Gina (Sean) Paulish, Angela (Sam) Franco, Rachael (Claude) Coppola and Allie Nantz; Great Grandfather of 18; Dear Brother of Catherine "Ginger" Pepping; Loving Uncle, cousin, and Friend of many. Viewing will start Friday July 10, 2026 at 9:30am in Mt. Carmel church, 1101 23rd Avenue in Melrose Park followed by mass at 11am. Burial will be at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside. Please omit flowers.

Mr Ralph Michael Ravanesi

January 28, 1937 - July 3, 2026