Ralph C. Sweithelm, III

RALPH C. SWEITHELM III, 61, PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY AT HIS HOME SURROUNDED BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS ON MAY 22, 2015. RALPH WAS BROOKLYN-BORN AND JERSEY-BRED. BORN ON JUNE 28, 1953, RAISED IN MIDDLETOWN AND ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NEW JERSEY. HE MOVED TO GLENSHAW, PENNSYLVANIA IN 1974. RALPH ACHIEVED HIS MASTER'S DEGREE IN PHYSICAL THERAPY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH IN 1985. HE BEGAN HIS PRACTICE IN THE PHYSICAL THERAPY DEPARTMENT AT NORTH HILLS PASSAVANT HOSPITAL WHERE HE MET HIS WIFE THERESA (MAGEE) SWEITHELM WHOM HE MARRRIED ON FEBURARY 14, 1981. HE IS SURVIVED BY TERRI, HIS WIFE OF 34 YEARS, HIS DAUGHTER MEGAN OF FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA, HIS SONS RYAN AND SEAN OF INDIANA. HIS BROTHER, JAKE SWEITHELM, MARRIED TO JOEL ANNE (CHABON) OF ALLISON PARK, PA., AND SEVEN NIECES AND NEPHEWS. PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS FATHER, RALPH SWEITHELM JR., HIS MOTHER, MARGARET (PARKE) SWEITHELM, HIS SISTER, PATRICIA (SWEITHELM) FUCHS, HIS BROTHERS ROBERT J. SWEITHELM AND JAMES M. SWEITHELM. RALPH PROVIDED PHYSICAL THERAPY TO NUMEROUS PEOPLE THROUGHOUT INDIANA COUNTY OVER THE PAST 35 YEARS, AND WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO OFFER HIS EXPERTISE TO ANYONE IN NEED. FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, HE WAS SELF-EMPLOYED AND PERFORMED EMG STUDIES IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA. ANYBODY WHO KNEW RALPH WOULD AGREE THAT HIS FAVORITE PASTIME WAS GOLF. HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE INDIANA COUNTRY CLUB FOR 30 YEARS WHERE HE COULD BE SEEN OFTEN GOLFING WITH HIS SONS AND NUMEROUS FRIENDS. RALPH WAS A MASTER GARDENER WHO ENJOYED LANDSCAPING AND WORKING IN HIS YARD. HIS OTHER PASSION WAS LIVE MUSIC, ESPECIALLY THE SOUND OF THE JERSEY SHORE, CARIBBEAN MUSIC, AND THE LOCAL PITTSBURGH MUSIC SCENE. RALPH WAS A MEMBER OF THE ELKS LODGE 931 FOR OVER A DECADE. HE RECEIVED HIS MASTER GARDENER'S CERTIFICATE FROM PENN STATE EXTENSION IN 2013. HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX PARISH. RALPH ENJOYED LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST AND HIS FAVORITE MOTTO WAS, " IF YOU'RE NOT HAVING FUN, SOMEONE ELSE IS!" THE FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND ITS APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE TO ALL FRIENDS, FAMILY AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS WHO SUPPORTED HIS COURAGEOUS BATTLE AGAINST BRAIN CANCER. AT RALPH'S REQUEST THERE WILL BE NO VISITATION. A FUNERAL MASS WILL BE HELD AT ST. BERNARD OF CLAIRVAUX AT 11.A.M, ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 27, FOLLOWED BY A CELEBRATION OF HIS LIFE AT THE RUSTIC LODGE, 2199 OAKLAND AVENUE, INDIANA, PA. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY REQUEST DONATIONS BE MADE IN RALPH'S MEMORY TO INDIANA COUNTY VNA/HOSPICE OR INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL GOLF BOOSTERS C/O INDIANA HIGH SCHOOL ATT: ATHLETIC OFFICE.

Funeral Service

Wednesday, May 27, 2015 11:00 AM
St. Bernard of Clairvaux Roman Catholic Church
Clairvaux Drive Indiana Pennsylvania 15701 ,