Ralph E. LaDuke

SCHENECTADY - Ralph E. LaDuke, 71, of Schenectady, passed away at his residence on Saturday, April 10, 2021, one day shy of his 72nd birthday, surrounded by his loving family. The angels came to light his way to Paradise.

Ralph was born April 11, 1949 in Lake Placid, NY and was the son of the late Ralph E. and Hilda LaDuke. Ralph graduated from Mohonasen High School and Albany Business College. He was employed at Mohawk Office Products for 37 years. Ralph then worked for NYS Dept. of Transportation and retired from NYS Thruway Authority. He enjoyed gardening, State and County fairs, watching TV, and being with his loving family.

Ralph is survived by his childhood sweetheart and beloved wife of 53 years, Linda; four extraordinary daughters and their soulmates, Liesha (Bill) Sherman, April (Tom) Ernst, Joanna (Nicholas) DeSantis and Courtney (Dan) Grock. He is the cherished grandfather of Cara Sherman and her fiance’ Ryan Udvadia,  Anna Sherman, Kate Sherman, TJ Ernst, and Julia Grock. He is the brother of Michael (Debbie) LaDuke and Ronna (Lou) Welch. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and many lifelong friends. Ralph will be dearly missed by his sweet and caring fur babies.

The family offers their sincere thanks and appreciation to Drs. Francisco Gomez, Jessica Berman, Alexis Hargrove, and their wonderful staff. We are most grateful for the kind and caring staff of Community Hospice. We offer our special prayers to all that are suffering from Alzheimer’s, their families, and dedicated caregivers.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with Ralph’s family on Wednesday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Cannon Funeral Home, 2020 Central Ave., Colonie. There will be an opportunity for sharing of remembrances and tribute to Ralph at 6:30 on Wednesday evening. Face masks are required, and social distancing will be observed. Funeral services will be Thursday morning at 9:00 am at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Memory Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial contributions may be made to Alzheimer’s Association of Northeastern NY, 4 Pine West Plaza #405, Albany, NY 12205. To leave a message of condolence for the family or to view Ralph’s custom video tribute, visit www.CannonFuneral.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.