Ralph R. Carlson Sr. of Cold Spring passed away peacefully on Aug. 1, 2024, at home with his family by his side after a two-year battle with cancer at the age of 79.
Ralph was born on Aug. 22, 1945, at Harlem Hospital in Manhattan to Levi Carlson and Elin (Anderson) Carlson. Ralph grew up in Manhattan before moving to the Bronx in 1963. Ralph was the youngest of seven children.
He married his first love, Teresa (Boesch) Carlson, and moved to Cold Spring from the Bronx in 1974. Ralph is survived by his wife of 54 years and two sons, Ralph Jr. and Kenneth, as well as his brother Harold Carlson and wife Theresa, brother Karl Carlson and wife Janet, sister-in-law Gloria (Boesch) Murray and husband David, and brother-in-law Henry Boesch and wife Elaine.
Ralph was predeceased by his sisters, Lillian (Carlson) Morales, Vivian Carlson and Julie (Carlson) Falcone and husband Louis, and brother Richard Carlson. Ralph is also survived by a large family of cousins, nieces and nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.
Ralph was a graduate of Samuel Gomper’s Technical Institute where he learned engineering, plumbing, carpentry and electrical before attending the IBEW Apprenticeship Training Program for eight years. Ralph was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, where he served from 1965 to 1969 during the Vietnam War before receiving an honorable discharge in 1969. Ralph was a retired electrician of the IBEW NYC Local 3 Electrical Union and was a former volunteer member of North Highlands Fire Co.
Ralph enjoyed building things for his home, family and the Our Lady of Loretto’s annual Christmas pageant, as well as spending time with his family, watching the New York Mets and political news. He was always there to help anyone in need.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday (Aug. 6) at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Loretto; internment will follow at Cold Spring Cemetery. A wake will be held at Clinton Funeral Home, 21 Parrott St., in Cold Spring, on Monday (Aug. 5) from 4 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Our Lady of Loretto (ladyofloretto.org), the North Highlands Fire Department (bit.ly/northhighlands-fd), Northwell Health hospice care (northwell.edu/hospice-care) or the American Cancer Society (cancer.org).
