Obituary of Ralph Qualitero

Ralph Qualitero, 87, of Berkeley Heights, NJ passed away peacefully on April 9, 2024.

Born on June 16, 1936, in Brooklyn, NY, Ralph was the youngest of seven children to Anna (Malone) & Vincenzo Qualitero.  With his parents prematurely deceased, Ralph was on his own at the young age of 16.  Ralph was self-taught in many areas, as he didn’t have the finances to finish his college career.

While working in Manhattan, Ralph met his only love, Hilde Kastendiek. Ralph & Hilde married in 1962 and enjoyed living in Manhattan and in Brooklyn before they ultimately would move to Rockland County where they raised two children.  Ralph & Hilde traveled significantly through the years, both domestically and internationally.  They were amazed at the New York World’s Fair, heard Mass from the Pope in Vatican Square, cruised along the Yangtze River and enjoyed a hot air balloon ride in Turkey.  He would often reminisce about their travels and most of the time the memory would include a story about a delicious meal they enjoyed together.  Ralph & Hilde lived a robust life in Rockland County for more than 50 years before relocating to Berkeley Heights, NJ.

During his working career, Ralph was primarily in the restaurant and hospitality industries and focused on providing the best client service.  He owned a successful coffee shop in the Garment District in NYC and a family restaurant & bar in Rockland County.  Ralph brought his culinary skills home and loved to go to the grocery store and cook for his family daily.  The family joke is that no two meals were alike, as Ralph often followed his instincts and heart instead of a recipe.  Focusing on his family, Ralph would be there to assist his son Vincent with his entrepreneurial businesses.

After retiring from the restaurant industry, Ralph had a new challenge as a nanny, taking care of his grandchildren Ryan & Amanda.  He would spend the next 10+ years catering to his adoring grandchildren.  His weekly routine included morning drop off & afternoon pick up at different schools, nap time, after school snacks, homework, and excursions to Blockbuster.  He often would incorporate a lesson into household chores such as turning a trip to the grocery store into an after-school fieldtrip.  He did the same with instilling values of saving and encouraging the grandkids to deposit their spare change into a savings account.  

Ralph thoroughly enjoyed reading about history, watching old movies (preferably black & white) and actively following the stock markets.  His heart was broken when the Brooklyn Dodgers left for the West Coast.  Above all, Ralph, a sweet, gentle soul, loved his family.  

Ralph is survived by his loving wife, Hilde; his daughter Christal McElroy and her husband Jon Fehleison; his beloved grandchildren, Ryan and Amanda; his great grand fur babyCharlie; and his many nieces and nephews.  He is predeceased by his son, Vincent F. Qualitero, and his six siblings (Lillian DiMucci, Anthony Qualitero, John Qualitero, Mike Qualitero, Nancy Natafrancesca, and his namesake, Ralph Qualitero).

A visitation for Ralph will be held at Higgins Funeral Home on Friday April 12, 2024 from 10am to 12 pm followed by a funeral service at the funeral home. There will be a graveside service on Saturday at the St. Anthony's Catholic Cemetery in Nanuet NY at 10:45 am

To honor Ralph and in lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to Memorial Sloan Kettering (www.mskcc.org) in Ralph’s name.