Ralph P. Delserone

Austintown-Ralph P. Delserone 70 Services will be held Saturday, Jan. 5, 2013, at 10:00am, at St. Joseph's Church in Austintown. Family and friends will be received from 5:00pm-7:00pm, Friday, January 4, 2013, at Lane Family Funeral Homes, Austintown Chapel and again Saturday at the church from 9:00am until the time of the service. Ralph, 70, of Austintown, passed away peacefully, from an extended illness, Jan. 1, 2013, at 6:12am, at the Hospice House, of Poland, with his family by his side. Taken too soon, in his last days, every time he opened his eyes, he saw the face of someone who loved him. He was born Sept. 2, 1942, in Youngstown, OH, the eldest of three sons, of Ralph Delserone Sr. and Alice (Salinsky) Delserone. Ralph was a graduate of Girard High School's class of 1961. He then attended YSU for two years where he majored in Chemistry. He joined the Army, and soon after joining his unit was decommissioned, so he joined the Air Force, stationed with the 910th Airlift Wing, in Vienna, where he served as a cook for four years. In 1966, he was one of the first wave of people to be hired at General Motors, Lordstown Plant. He was about to be promoted to a supervisory position but decided to strike out on his own as an entrepreneur, pursuing the beginnings of Raphael Beauty Salons, Raphael beauty Schools in Niles and Raphael Beauty Supply Chain of stores which he owned successfully for forty years. He was widely known in the beauty industry, was a good boss who had many employees who stayed with him for 10, 15 and 20 years. He was a generous man who shared his successes in many ways with employees, friends and family over the years. He was an excellent cook and regularly invited eager people to dinners and gatherings for good meals and fun. In the 1970's, he helped his brother, John coach a championship team at Brookfield High School, for a short period time. He will leave a large empty space as his Italian Heritage led him to be a larger than life personality, boisterous and loving with a soft heart. His love for cats was only topped by his love and devotion for his children and grandchildren. His favorite line, every few days being, "let's go see the kids." Everyone knew him by his trade mark cigar, his sly jokes and pranks and the twinkle always in his eye. He leaves to forever miss him, his wife of 29 years; Rosemary (Tabor) Delserone, his two children; Ralph Delserone (Lori Harklerode) and Jacquelyn (Rick) Johngrass, stepdaughter Michelle Johnson, grandchildren; Taylor, Emma, Sam and Sarah Johngrass, Cole and Sofia Durina and Bella Delserone, a sister Susann (David) Snyder, nephews; David (Maura) Snyder, Phillip and Jeff Snyder, great nephew Davy Snyder, sister-in-law; Andrea (Delserone) Lane and nephew Johnny Delserone. Ralph was preceded in death by his brother; John Delserone and his parents. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Hospice House, of Poland.