Ralph Morocco

Ralph James Morocco, age 82, died Sunday, April 25 in St. George Regional Hospital. He was born on January 17, 1939 in Farrell, PA to Carmela Zappa Morocco and Victor Morocco. He was an honor graduate from Farrell High School and Youngstown State University as a Mathematics major. Unfortunately, he had to quit college to go to work upon his father’s death in 1959.

He started his career as an interior decorator, then attended an IBM programmers’ school in Cleveland, Ohio. He began his programming career in 1961, in Sharon, PA. That same year he married Audrey Castiglione and later that year was drafted into the US Army. After serving for 2 years at Fort Hood, TX and given an honorable discharge, and returned to working as a computer programmer. He and his wife moved to the Detroit, MI area to continue his career. In 1986, he moved to Las Vegas, NV and spent 20 years there and subsequently was named the M.I.S manager at the Ramada Express in Laughlin, NV and retired, for the first time, in 2002. Along the way, he installed software programs and hardware throughout the country with stops in Biloxi, MS and Reno, NV. He retired again in 2010, then at the request of a former colleague, moved to Mesquite, NV to act as the M.I.S. Manager at the Eureka Casino Resort, retiring in 2016.

Throughout his life he generously volunteered and donated to various non-profit organizations. Serving as a Big Brother for several boys in the Detroit area, served on the board of directors for the New Vista Ranch in Las Vegas, and spent the last 15 years of his life as a coach, volunteer and program director for the Special Olympics in Mesquite. Ralph was also a skilled gourmet cook and hosted several dinner parties throughout his career.

Ralph is survived by 4 nephews and 1 niece residing in Southwestern Pennsylvania and Texas, treasured friends and dear work associates .