Donald E Ranft Sr.

Donald E. Ranft, Sr., age 78, of Denville, NJ, passed away peacefully on December 16, 2025.
Donald was born on March 2, 1947, in Dover, New Jersey, and was raised in Denville. He attended Denville public schools for elementary and junior high, spent two years at Morris Hills High School, and later became a member of the first graduating class of Morris Knolls High School. As a young man, Donald loved-and excelled in-baseball, football, wrestling, and track, where his appreciation for sports and community began. Sports remained a lifelong passion; he continued to enjoy watching his children and grandchildren in their athletics and cheering on his favorite sports teams, including the Brooklyn Dodgers and New York Mets.
Donald was a resident of Denville for most of his life and a man known for his hard work, humor, and deep devotion to his family. He was a business owner, a provider, and someone who showed up-day after day-for the people he loved.
He married his wife, Barbara (Riedel) Ranft when they were teenagers on June 25, 1966, and they have since shared 59 ½ years of marriage. Together, they enjoyed Sunday drives, trips to Atlantic City and New York City, concerts at Bethel Woods, and traveling to many islands in the Caribbean. In 2001, they bought a vacation home in Lake Wallenpaupack, Pennsylvania where they spent 14 ½ wonderful years. Donald especially loved touring Lake Wallenpaupack on his boat and enjoying the beauty of the Northern Pocono Mountains
They had four children: Doreen Taryla (James), Donald Ranft, Jr., Maria Ranft (partner Peter Tanis), Stephen Ranft (fiancé Andrea Graves), and grandchildren Kyle and Caitlyn Taryla, Ashley (fiancé Nick Zullo), Taylor, and Justin Clawson, and Sydney Graves.
From a young age, Donald worked alongside his parents in the family business, Ranft's TV and Appliance in Denville, learning the value of dedication, service, and responsibility. In 1980, he went on to own and operate Ranft's Rockaway TV and Appliance, continuing the family legacy and serving generations of local families. The store became a place that was far more than a business-it was a second home for his family and a gathering place for the community. Many of his grandchildren grew up there, learning firsthand the value of hard work, commitment, and laughter.
Donald loved the simple and meaningful joys of life: time outdoors, deer hunting, fishing, and watching the wildlife in his backyard, which he considered his pets. He also loved listening to music by Willie Nelson, Roy Orbison, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, and Hank Williams; watching classic TV shows from the 1950s and 1960s, playing the Jersey Cash 5 with the same numbers every time, driving around in his work van, and dressing casually every day in his L.L. Bean Flannel shirts and Levi Jeans.
Known for his sense of humor, he loved practical jokes, singing the loudest for birthdays, and bringing laughter into everyday moments. His presence was felt at family celebrations, sporting events, holidays, and milestones, where he showed up consistently and generously.
Donald is survived by his wife, Barbara (Riedel) Ranft; his beloved children and their families; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends who will miss him dearly. He was predeceased by his parents, three siblings, and their spouses, and many other family members.
Donald's legacy lives on in the countless memories he created, the laughter he brought into every room, and the steady presence he was for his family. He will be remembered whenever family gathers, in moments when a joke lightens the room, and when his family sees a deer wandering, a flannel shirt, or catches the scent of the lake air.
A private Funeral Service was held on December 20, 2025. The family thanks you for your love and support during this time.