Ralph Kassian Cue

Born at home (June 28th 1936) in Elliott, a small, hilly neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ralph passed away at home (July 9th 2018) in a rural community near Easley, South Carolina.

Ralph attended Toner Institute in Brookline, Pennsylvania as a young boy and then attended high school at Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska. Learning carpentry and woodworking interested him the most, as far as studies go, but for activities, it was all sports. He enjoyed swimming, roller-skating, ice-skating, softball, baseball, junior varsity football, wrestling, boxing and intramural basketball (his favorite).

After graduating from high school in 1954, Ralph enlisted in the United States Marine Corp. He completed his basic training at Parris Island, Port Royal, South Carolina. He was unable to pursue a career in the military however, due to a concussion from a high school wrestling competition.

Ralph liked cruising and enjoying the scenery. One road trip was across the country via Route 66 to Los Angeles. He stayed there for a year working for Howard Hughes Tool Company.

Returning to Pittsburgh, Ralph married the love of his life, Connie Thomas. They had two children, Debbie and Mickey. Although their marriage didn’t last, Ralph was a good father, wonderful grandfather (and great-grandfather), favorite uncle, best brother and great friend to many, many special people.

Ralph moved to New York when he changed careers, giving up driving a truck for Bennett Paper Company and going to work as a waiter at Brown’s Hotel in the Catskill Mountains. In the off-season, he traveled to Miami Beach and worked as a waiter at The Crown Hotel.

Ralph was proud of the fact that he never had to fill out a job application in the hotel industry. He got his positions all by word of mouth, a remarkable feat to be sure. Several other hotels he worked at in Miami Beach included: The Fontainebleau of Miami Beach, The Barcelona Hotel, Sans Souci Hotel at Miami Beach, Casablanca Hotel, Almanac Hotel, The Deauville, Eden Roc, Americana Hotel, Crystal House Condos, Sterling Hotel, and Martinique Hotel. In New York: the Concorde Hotel in the Catskills, Grossmans, Gilberts, Grossinger’s Catskill Resort Hotel and Kutsher’s Hotel. At Lakewood, New Jersey: Laurel in the Pines and Hotel Grossman.

His hobby was handicapping horses. He enjoyed analyzing them and watching them race. He was ecstatic when he watched Justify win the Triple Crown this year and fondly reminisced about Secretariat and Affirmed (the 1973 and 1978 Triple Crown winners.) He considered his backyard wildlife and birds his pets.

Besides analyzing horses, he liked to study nature and people. He found satisfaction in watching things grow. Ralph also liked to watch someone work who knew what he was doing. “Any person who is diligent is deserving respect,” he said. “Such as a person who cuts grapefruit in the hotel kitchen every day, even for 20 years” he responded, when asked who were the greatest inspirations in his life. Ralph was happy for the accomplishments of others.

Ralph’s legacy lives on through the imprint he made on those around him. The tapestry of his life has interwoven with those of his children and grandchildren, who can even now be seen carrying on his various habits, hobbies and personality traits. They were all recently reunited with him back in May, and it’s a treasured memory for everyone. He will be fondly remembered, rather than mourned. Celebrated, and still the cause of just as many smiles as before. The last thing he said to his grandson was: “I’ll see you on the other side.” And that they shall, that they shall.

His parents, Nicholas Fredrick Cue and Mathilda Kovalcheck Cue, predeceased Ralph. He is also predeceased by some of his older siblings and their spouses, Camille (Jerry) Gruenenfelder of East Orange, NJ, Beulah (Pete) Palkowetz of Somerville, NJ, Tom (Ginny Seaver) Cue of Greenville, SC; his grandson: Jonathan Cue and nephews and nieces, Tommy Gruenenfelder, Ralphie Swoger and Lynn Cue.

He is survived by his sister, Flo (Bill, d.) Swoger of Lauderdale, PA and two brothers: Nick (Geri, d.) Cue of Mauldin, SC and Bill (Gerry Payne) Cue of Belton, SC. He is survived by his children: Debbie (Rory) Smith of Pittsburgh, PA, Mickey (Peggy) Cue of Lake Worth, FL; his grandchildren, Adam (Amber) Shipp, Andrew (Katie) Shipp, Erica (Wilson) Jones, Jason Cue, Justin Cue, Kirk Smith, Abigail Smith, Natalie Smith and Michael Smith; his great grandchildren, Isabella, Dante, Urijah, Xander, Eviana Shipp, Mariella Cue, Theodore Shipp, Brecken, Anna and Liam Jones; his nieces, nephews and their families, Linda, Robin, Ronnie Gruenenfelder, Susan, Tim, Dan Palkowetz, Tommy, JoAnne Cue, Gary, Belinda Swoger, David, Sandy, Keith Cue and Dearest friends, Bill and Madge Grill.

A memorial service will be held in the Fall for Ralph Kassian Cue at the Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Cemetery in California, PA where he will be buried. (630 American Street, California PA 15419)