Ralph Charles Datillio

Ralph Charles Datillio, 75, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by his family, on July 27, 2016. After a brief but courageous battle with cancer, he is now in the loving arms of Jesus Christ, his Lord and Savior. Although born and raised in Waterbury, CT, Ralph put down roots in Florida. After attending Palm Beach Junior College, he transferred as a junior to FSU, where he graduated with a degree in Political Science in 1962. At this time he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. It was also during this time at FSU that he met the love of his life, Edwina Thornton (Wynn). During his 3rd year of law school at University of Florida they were married, and together moved to El Toro, CA, where he fulfilled his service commitment in the JAG Corps. Both of their daughters were born in Orange County, CA. After completing an 8 year commitment to the Marines, the Datillio family moved to Miami where Ralph entered private practice with a large law firm, specializing in transactional law. In 1981 he relocated his family to Tallahassee where he continued practicing law, joining in a partnership to open the Tallahassee office of Broad and Cassel. It is said that a person’s life can be defined by the ‘dash’ between their birth and their death. Although to his family his life was all too brief, Ralph filled his ‘dash’ to overflowing with fabulous interests, one of which was visiting various parts of the world with his beautiful wife. Throughout their marriage, he and Wynn vacationed in Switzerland, Italy, Germany, Israel, Alaska and Hawaii. Just 2 years ago, they celebrated their 50th anniversary in the spectacular mountains of Alberta, Canada. Ralph Datillio was the epitome of a Renaissance man: “someone who does a little bit of everything, yet does it extremely well,” which also speaks to his Christian beliefs in that whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. If Ralph developed an interest in something, he took it upon himself to delve in head-first, educating himself, outfitting himself, and enjoying himself fully. Here are just a few of the interests that called to him over his lifetime: sailing and boating, fishing, hunting, piloting his own plane, snow skiing, golfing, photography/videography, owning and riding horses, salt water aquariums, landscape pond building, stained glass, river rafting, and very near and dear to his heart was cultivating and tending God’s creation by growing a wide variety of plants, especially flowers. We have learned much from this great man over the years; however, one thing stands as a testimony to what he held most dear: that as wonderful and enjoyable as temporal interests may be, they are just that…temporal and fleeting. It is the eternal impact one leaves as a living legacy that endures ad infinitum. For Papa Ralph, his faith-filled legacy stands firm, rooted beautifully in his family. Perhaps there are no words more aptly spoken than those that his grandchildren choose to remember him by: faithful, honorable, generous, caring, intelligent, strong, humble, inspiring, wise, devoted, highest integrity, hard-working, steadfast, family man, meek, gentle, kind, a man of valor. Ralph is survived by his wife of 52 years, Wynn, and their two daughters Dana Hammett (John) and their children Bethany (23), Sarah (20), John Nathan (11), and AnnaCatherine (9); and Kim McLeod (Drew) and their children Christian (20), Courtney (16), Gabriel (12), and Elijah (9). While a private committal ceremony will take place at the Tallahassee National Cemetery, friends are invited to join the family in celebrating Ralph’s life at a Memorial Service on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 2:00 p.m., Trinity Community Church, Tallahassee. Memorial donations may be made to Big Bend Hospice.

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Ralph Charles Datillio

September 24, 1940 - July 27, 2016