Ralph “Hawk” D'Elia, of Medford, and formerly of Boston’s North End, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, July 5th at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. He was 76.
Born in Boston, Hawk attended local schools and graduated from high school in 1960.
Hawk had a fulfilling career with the City of Boston. He was the foreman for the Parks and Recreation Department and loved his job. He enjoyed being with others and maintaining the parks of the city he loved most.
In his spare time, Hawk enjoyed golfing at New Hampshire's White Mountains: Maplewood Country Club, playing poker and other card games with friends and traveling with his wife, Red. Hawk and Red loved the time they spent traveling together. They were avid visitors of Hollywood, Florida, Maine, Foxwoods, Provincetown and other areas of Cape Cod. One of their favorite things to do while visiting the Cape was going periwinkle picking and walking around Provincetown. Hawk also spent much of his free time in the North End of Boston and was an active member of the North End Athletic Association. He was a funny, kind and loving person and will be missed by all the lives he touched.
Hawk was the beloved husband of Angela “Red” (DiManno) Guarino D’Elia. The two married on November 8, 2008 and together they have shared 10 loving years of marriage. He was the beloved husband of the late Aurora (Capozzi) D’Elia, who passed away in 1998. He was the cherished son of Gaetana (Campochiaro) D’Elia Lott of Arizona and the late Anthony D’Elia. Hawk was the devoted father of Darlene D’Elia and Mike, Sharon D’Elia-Verrocchi and Said, Laurie D’Elia and Dominic, Joseph Love D’Elia, Michael D’Elia and Stephanie, Ralph D’Elia, Lisa Guarino and the late Sal, Angela Guarino Vilar and Alfredo, Joseph Guarino and Michele, Stephanie Guarino and Hal. He was the loving puppy of Daniel, Ralph, Aurora, Nicholas, Elena and David and the loving papa of Gia and Caesar, Ronnie, Joseph, Guarino, Renné, Jase and Isabella. Hawk was the loving great grand-papa of Gia, Ciana and Ronnie Valentino. He is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews and friends.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Leonard Church, Hanover Street, in Boston’s North End, on Tuesday, July 10th at 11 AM. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend may visit with the family on Tuesday morning at St. Leonard Church from 8 through 11 AM. Services will conclude with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.