Ralph E. Pierotti

Ralph E. Pierotti, 93, of Petaluma passed away December 15, 2023, peacefully in the presence of family.

He is survived by Tecla, his wife of 54 years. He was predeceased by his daughter, Francesca, and sister, Doris Muilwyk. He was father to Vincenzo, David (Margot), Carol, and Andrea (Houston), as well as grandfather to Julian, William, and Alexandria. He is also survived by nieces, Marisa Pierotti and Marilyn Bowden.

Ralph was a proud second-generation San Franciscan of Italian and Norwegian ancestry, the son of Adolph and Agnes. He graduated from Sacred Heart High School, received a BA from San Francisco State College, and then served in the Korean War on the Navy destroyer Leonard F. Mason. After his Navy service he joined the California Highway Patrol, starting a 30-year career as an officer and retiring from the Marin CHP office. Ralph enjoyed helping people, including risking his life to rescue a woman from a suicide attempt on the Golden Gate Bridge, and delivering meals to those in need (which garnered him Petaluma’s Volunteer of the Year Award in 2015). His passions were reading historical non-fiction, Giants baseball, hiking though redwood forests, drinking coffee with his buddies, supporting environmental causes, and enjoying a glass of wine with his neighbors at Garden Court. He led a rich, full life and will be deeply missed by family and friends.

Services will be held at St. James Catholic Church in Petaluma on January 16th at 10:00 am. Ralph asked for donations to Save the Redwoods in lieu of flowers.