Obituary: ​Richard Kenneth Ranciato (Wolfe) of Madison

Information and photo via Swan Funeral Home

Richard Kenneth Ranciato (Wolfe) of Madison, CT and St. Pete’s Beach, FL, passed away peacefully at his home on April 24, 2019. Richard was born in New Haven, CT on November 9, 1959 to the late Kenneth Ranciato and Tricia Bilker.

He attended Daniel Hand High School, in Madison CT, until his junior year and graduated from Chantilly High School, in Chantilly, VA in 1977. He was an outstanding member of the choral and drama programs in both schools, where he was often cast in leading roles in theater productions. He was also a gifted pianist, as well as a soloist in the Virginia All-State Chorus.

Richard attended the Shenandoah Music Conservatory and pursued a career in musical theater before receiving a degree in radiologic technology from Gateway Technical College. He retired in 2005 from Kaiser Permanente, in Berkeley CA, where he was employed for many years as an MRI Technologist. Richard had a loving, generous, and gentle nature, and was a beloved and loyal son, brother, uncle, grandson, and friend.

He enjoyed cooking and was a masterful culinary artist, as well as a music lover, talented dancer, and a world traveler who made friends everywhere he went. He will be remembered mostly for the way he embraced life to its fullest and brought endless love, warmth, and brilliant humor to the lives of his family members and friends.

Richard is survived by his mother, Tricia Bilker of Guilford, CT, his stepfather, Charles Wolfe of Madison, CT, his stepmother, Brenda Ranciato of Prospect, CT, his brother Kenneth Ranciato and his wife Barbara, of Guilford, CT, his brother Christian Wolfe and his wife Lee of Tewksbury Township, NJ, his brother Craig Ranciato of St. Petersburg, FL, his brother Kelly Ranciato and his wife Heidi of Prospect, CT, his sister, Melissa Wolfe Beiner of Madison, and his adored nephews and nieces, special aunts, uncles, and cousins, and many friends.

Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, May 31 from 4-7 PM at Swan Funeral Home in Madison, CT. A funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, June 1 at 10:00 AM at St Margaret Roman Catholic Church, Madison, CT. In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations in Richard’s memory may be sent to Yale New Haven Hospital/attention: Nathan Smith Clinic, 20 York Street, New Haven, CT 06510. Checks are made payable to Yale New Haven Hospital/Nathan Smith Clinic with “Richard Ranciato” in the memo line.