Obituary

Personal Tribute from Neil Rogers -

TRIBUTE TO RALPH SCIBELLI
I know it has been a few weeks since Ralph passed, and I won’t pretend that Ralph and I were lifelong best friends or that we stayed in close touch over the years. But sometimes, it’s the memories and moments that stay with you that say the most about a person’s character.

One of my earliest memories of Ralph takes me back to freshman football. After double sessions, Doug Allard, Ralph, and I would walk over to the Sunoco station back when it stood where Dunkin’ is now on the Fellsway. We’d pull cold sodas from the machine, so chilled they had crystals in them. Those little rituals stick with you, and I still smile when I pass that spot. By coincidence, I was once telling that story on the phone at Dunkin’, only to turn and see Ralph standing right behind me. Life has a way of circling us back to the people who made an impression.

Years later, I reconnected with Ralph through Paul Mortimer’s dinner crew after a chance meeting at Lake Morey. What struck me then, as it always did, was his positivity. Ralph had a way of being gracious and complimentary, never missing a chance to lift others up.
I looked for an obituary and perhaps I missed it but if there wasn’t one, I wanted to make sure Ralph was remembered from my perspective. When I think about Ralph, I think of someone who was cool without trying. He carried himself with a certain swagger, and I’ll always remember him behind the wheel of that kick-ass Grand Prix.

Rest in peace, Ralph. Your presence made an impact, and you’ll be remembered with fondness.

And this is why I plan to come to our 50th reunion on September 26, 2026, at the Crowne Plaza in Woburn. Let’s face it we are linked forever: five years of double sessions, the smoking area, the Bicentennial, and who else do you know that had a cafetorium?? And so much more. More details to follow from Eileen Lyle about the event to follow.