Joseph John Ratto of Oakland passed on November 15, 2021 at the age of 84 years. Joseph was born July 30, 1937 in Oakland, California to parents Emmanuele and Mildred (Valle) Ratto. He graduated from St. Elizabeth grammar school and high school in Oakland. He went on to graduate with a Bachelor of Science from the University of San Francisco and a Bachelor of Science in Insurance from Golden Gate College. On June 7, 1959, he enlisted in the Army and attended basic training and then Military Police training. Joseph was assigned to serve active duty in the Military Police at The Presidio in San Francisco for six months and he continued in the Army Reserve until he was honorably discharged on August 13, 1968.
Joseph went on to work his entire career at EP Zollner Insurance along with his aunt Mary Valle and brother and best friend Richard Ratto.
An active volunteer for the Boy Scouts of America for over 50 years, Joseph enjoyed all aspects of the outdoors and the lessons that Scouting imparted. He was proud to see his four sons and later two of his grandsons reach Eagle Scout. He was a Scoutmaster in Troop 419, active leader in the Order of the Arrow & Peralta District, and also served on several committees for the San Francisco Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts where he was recognized with the council's highest recognition of Silver Beaver. In addition to Scouting, Joseph volunteered for the Veterans Christmas Committee and for the Cerebral Palsy Center for the Bay Area, where he and his family were awarded the Cerebral Palsy Center’s volunteer-of-the-year award in 1984 for their dedication and contributions to the center.
Above all else, Joseph was a family man. His greatest joys came from time spent with his late wife, four sons, and his nine grandchildren at Saturday evening Mass and dinner after Mass, the trips to the cabin in South Lake Tahoe, watching his grandchildren’s sporting events and recitals, and traveling. He frequently said how family was the one thing in life that he cherished the most, from his immediate family to the extended family of in-laws, cousins and second-cousins.
He follows his wife Bernice and fourth son Robert. He is survived by his sons Ronald and wife Trish, Michael and Mary Sims, & Chris and wife Sandy; daughter-in-law Ann Fisher Ratto; brother Richard and wife Barbara; companion Adel Harris; grandchildren Jeremy, Nicole, Megan, Caitlin, Joshua, Isabella, Arianna, Matthew & Jack.
Funeral Mass will be held 10:00am Thursday, December 2, 2021 ~
Corpus Christi Catholic Church ~
322 St James Dr ~ Piedmont, CA 94611. (parking @ Estates school yard)
Internment will follow Mass ~
Holy Sepulchre Catholic Cemetery ~
1051 Harder Rd ~ Hayward, CA 94542.
Celebration of Life will immediately follow internment ~
Ristorante Di Parma ~
22532 Foothill Blvd.
~ Hayward, CA 94541. (parking @ Lot 6 - 1140 A St Hayward)
Contributions can be made in lieu of flowers to:
Boy Scout Scouts of America ~
Peralta District ScoutReach ~
6601 Owens Drive, Suite 100 ~
Pleasanton, CA 94588~ https://donations.scouting.org/#/council/023/appeal/3623 ~ ("District" = Peralta) (" I want my donation to be dedicated in memory of Joseph Ratto designated for Peralta ScoutReach)
Cancer Support Community ~(previously known as The Wellness Community) ~3276 McNutt Ave ~
Walnut Creek, CA 94597~ https://cancersupport.net/donate/ ~ ("I want my donation to be dedicated in memory of Joseph Ratto)
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