Ralph Joseph Bottone, 71, a devoted father, grandfather, and an outstanding member of the community of Limestone, passed away Sunday October 23, 2022, from a long courageous battle with cancer.

Ralph was born on November 7, 1950. He was the son of the late Francis and Annabelle Giardini Bottone.

He graduated from Limestone Union Free School in 1968. Upon graduation he joined the Air Force and was stationed in Nellis Air Force Base where he worked on F-11 fighter jets during the Vietnam War.

After the service Ralph returned to Limestone where he was a mechanic for UPS along with his father, Fran, he opened his own garage called,” Bottone’s Service Center.”

On March 12, 1977, he married the late Patricia Rau Bottone. For 30 years he cared for his wife in her battle against Multiple Sclerosis. Together they had two children, Tara, and Dusty Bottone, both of Limestone.

Throughout the years Ralph was an active member of the Limestone Volunteer Fire Department where he was Fire Chief in 1991 and 1992. In 2017 he received the Outstanding Service Award for over 50 years of service to the fire department. He also served on the Limestone School Board. Other community services he was involved with were Mayor of Limestone, Town Supervisor, and was a current Town Board member. He was the master of ceremonies for Limestone Alumni for many years. Being a Veteran was important to him, so he spoke at many Memorial Day celebrations. One contribution he led was the building of the Veteran’s Memorial that is located in Limestone. Ralph had his hand in many benefits for people throughout the community.

Ralph had a love for sports and music. He was a competitive, passionate coach for many years. During the 70s and 80s he coached midget and high school football. He was not only a coach but offered support to many young athletes. From 1991 to 1995 he coached varsity basketball. Music was another passion of his. In the 70s he played the drums for a band called, “The Shades of Satin.”

In 2000 Ralph opened his own Italian restaurant with his mother, Annie. He did all his own cooking and was well known for his pasta, chicken, and eggplant Parmesan. He also donated his time and pasta to many sports banquets throughout the years. He also built a storage unit called StarDust Storage. His last employment was at the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino where he worked security for all concerts.

The true joy in his life was his grandchildren. The love for his family was unmeasurable. Surviving are his grandchildren, Michael, Serena, and Sarea, two sisters, Bonnie Sory {John} and Marianne Baxter.

Ralph’s proudest moments were watching his QB1 Michael play football and basketball and watching his Floor champ Serena compete in gymnastics and volleyball. Ralph taught his grandkids many things and had a role in who they are today. Cooking food for his family on Sundays for the Bills games was the highlight of his life. He was the best grandfather and his influence in their lives and others touched the town of Limestone in so many ways.

Another hobby for Ralph was building things. He built his own storage, restaurant and even after the cancer diagnosis and surviving the Whipple procedure he designed and built his own house. His proudest accomplishment was a treehouse he built for his grandkids.

Friends and family are invited to a Celebration of Life for Ralph on November 12, 2022, from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, at the Limestone Community Center. At Ralph’s request his body was donated to the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences in hopes of helping the fight against cancer.

Memorial contributions, if desired, may be made to the Limestone Volunteer Fire Department or the Allegany-Limestone Sports Boosters specifically to the football and volleyball programs.

Online condolences may be expressed at www.hollenbeckcahill.com