Ralph Richard DeBaise

Ralph Richard DeBaise

February 4, 1931 – January 24, 2026

Ralph R. DeBaise of East Syracuse died at home on January 24, 2026. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Gail Carroll DeBaise; four children: Laurie DeBaise Margolis (Larry), Janine DeBaise (Bill Sweeney), Kevin DeBaise (Peg), and Colleen DeBaise (Frank Guittard); three sisters: Charlotte Esce, Beverly Harrison, and Annette Jones; many nieces and nephews, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his oldest daughter Carroll DeBaise Thompson and his son-in-law Jimmy Thompson.

Ralph spent his childhood on Hawley Avenue in Syracuse and his teenage years in North Syracuse. He is a graduate of LeMoyne College and Syracuse Law School. While working as a musician at a dude ranch near Lake George in the 1950s, he met his wife Gail. They married in 1958, and he built a house in East Syracuse, where he lived for the rest of his life. Ralph was a lifetime Catholic, who attended several churches in the Syracuse area, including St. Matthew's and Blessed Sacrament.

Ralph was an artist and musician who had a small law office in East Syracuse until he retired in 1996. He designed and built a wooden sailboat, which he sailed on Oneida Lake and the Saint Lawrence River. His legacy includes many paintings, oil and acrylic, mostly landscapes. He played music up until his death, making CDs with his grandchildren. He will be missed.

A funeral Mass will be held at 10 am on Monday, February 2 at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception, 259 East Onondaga Street, Syracuse.

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