Ralph Defino

Defino, Raphael "Ralph" Albert, 93, of Hollywood, passed away on April 13, 2025. Born on Oct. 13, 1931, in Newark, N.J, he earned undergraduate and master's degrees in teaching and later served as principal of three Broward County elementary schools. Ralph retired in 1993 after 32 years in the public school system; his last position was principal of Sheridan Hills Elementary. He was married to Theresa Defino, a former teacher and physical therapist, from 1955 until her death in 2011. He also served in the Army and was stationed in Alaska. The couple moved to Florida in 1963, where they raised six children. Ralph was a loyal friend, leader, mentor and an inspiration to all who knew or worked with him. He lived up to the description of "guileless" that was noted in his college yearbook. He could recite the name of every child in his school. He was devoted to his wife, children and grandchildren, and each of them felt his unwavering love and support. His great-grandchildren, or "the little guys" as he called them, were a special delight. After retirement, he and his wife spent countless days relishing life in their cabin amid the mountains of Georgia; they also enjoyed traveling together. Ralph appreciated nature and passed on his love of sunsets to his family. A talented caricaturist, he made model cars, could glue anything back together, enjoyed barbequing and tinkering in his garage, and took pride in fixing his car and maintaining his homes himself. In his later years, Ralph reveled in attending car shows where he and his son would stand with pride next to his 1936 Ford, a surprise gift from his son.
He is survived by his children Linda (Corky), Theresa, Stephen (Marea), Kathleen and Mary Ellen; sister Marie; grandchildren Danny (Amber), Jonathan (Kristen), Sofia, Carolyn (Kris), Chloe, Paul, Julia, Sieta and Annabella; and great-grandchildren Dylan, Hyatt, Brody, Andrew, Kollyns and Adelyn. In addition to his wife, he is pre-deceased by his sister Corrine, brother Sam, youngest daughter Diane, and grandchildren Ursula and Kyle.
Visitation will be Tuesday, April 22, 2025, 5:00pm - 9:00pm with a prayer service Tuesday evening all at Landmark Funeral Home. Funeral Mass of the Resurrection will be Wednesday, April 23rd, 11:00am at Nativity Catholic Church followed by interment with military honors at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery in North Lauderdale.
Donations in Ralph's honor may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, https://www.alz.org.