Obituary for Ralph Walter Young
Ralph Walter Young, 78, of Dalton, passed away Saturday, September 18 at Berkshire Medical Center. Born in Pittsfield on June 3, 1943, Ralph was the son of the late Ralph H. and Dorothy (Maher) Young. He was a 1961 graduate of St. Joseph’s High School. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from Northeastern University, a Masters degree in Computer Science from Union College, and a Masters degree in Business Administration from Western New England College. After his time at Northeastern, he served two years in the Army at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. His career began at General Electric as an engineer, and he retired from General Dynamics after forty-three years of service working in Engineering and Program Management.
Ralph married Pamela McCarty at St. Mark’s Church on October 18, 1986, with whom he built a wonderful life, always putting family first. He shared his love of music by playing an extensive variety of genres at home and in the car as well as frequenting concerts and shows. He loved to travel with his wife, daughter, and niece, mostly to amusement parks, his favorite being Disney World. He enjoyed sports, a New England fan through and through, as well as practicing his golf swing.
He was an active member of Saint Agnes Catholic Community, formerly served on the Parish Council, and acted as a Eucharist Minister. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 411, where he served for ten years as Grand Knight. He volunteered for Berkshire United Way, starting as a loaned executive. He continued to serve on many committees, including the Allocations Committee and the Board of Directors where he acted as chair for two years. More recently, he was a member of the Dalton Council on Aging, where he previously participated in the Bridges program.
Volunteering and giving back to the community was one of Ralph’s strongest traits. He never missed an opportunity to help someone, and always greeted everyone with a warm smile, a firm handshake, and a “how we doing?”.
Ralph is survived by his wife of 34 years, Pamela, as well as his daughter, Kathleen Ferraro, and her husband, Justin, of Pittsfield. His loving presence will be missed dearly. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Agnes Academy.
FUNERAL NOTICE: A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held, SATURDAY, September 25, 2021 at 1 p.m. at St. Agnes Church in Dalton. Burial will be held at a later date at St. Joseph Cemetery. Calling hours will be held FRIDAY, September 24, 2021 from 4 to 7 p.m. at DERY-FOLEY FUNERAL HOME, 890 E. Main St., Dalton, MA 01226.
Masks and Social Distancing will be required at the funeral and also the wake, as we would like everyone to continue to stay safe.
Ralph married Pamela McCarty at St. Mark’s Church on October 18, 1986, with whom he built a wonderful life, always putting family first. He shared his love of music by playing an extensive variety of genres at home and in the car as well as frequenting concerts and shows. He loved to travel with his wife, daughter, and niece, mostly to amusement parks, his favorite being Disney World. He enjoyed sports, a New England fan through and through, as well as practicing his golf swing.
He was an active member of Saint Agnes Catholic Community, formerly served on the Parish Council, and acted as a Eucharist Minister. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus Council 411, where he served for ten years as Grand Knight. He volunteered for Berkshire United Way, starting as a loaned executive. He continued to serve on many committees, including the Allocations Committee and the Board of Directors where he acted as chair for two years. More recently, he was a member of the Dalton Council on Aging, where he previously participated in the Bridges program.
Volunteering and giving back to the community was one of Ralph’s strongest traits. He never missed an opportunity to help someone, and always greeted everyone with a warm smile, a firm handshake, and a “how we doing?”.
Ralph is survived by his wife of 34 years, Pamela, as well as his daughter, Kathleen Ferraro, and her husband, Justin, of Pittsfield. His loving presence will be missed dearly. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Saint Agnes Academy.
FUNERAL NOTICE: A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held, SATURDAY, September 25, 2021 at 1 p.m. at St. Agnes Church in Dalton. Burial will be held at a later date at St. Joseph Cemetery. Calling hours will be held FRIDAY, September 24, 2021 from 4 to 7 p.m. at DERY-FOLEY FUNERAL HOME, 890 E. Main St., Dalton, MA 01226.
Masks and Social Distancing will be required at the funeral and also the wake, as we would like everyone to continue to stay safe.