Obituary of Ralph V. Curcio

Ralph Curcio, a longtime Times of Trenton copy editor who most recently oversaw the community page for the newspaper, died Monday after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was 63. Curcio, a Lawrence resident, spent his entire career at The Times, climbing the newsroom ranks over four decades after a start making deliveries for the advertising department. His newsroom roles included librarian and the nation/world page copy editor before recently taking over editing of the community page. Colleagues recalled his kindness as a coworker and quick wit as an editor. “Ralph was an excellent copy editor and headline writer,” former Times Editor and Publisher Brian Malone said. “And just as importantly, he was a great colleague in the newsroom. I don’t know of anyone who didn’t like or respect Ralph. That respect grew as we watched him battle cancer. He never complained even though we knew he was suffering.” Donna Amick, who worked with Curcio during his years on The Times copy desk, recalled his penchant for puns. “Ralph was a virtuoso collector and coiner of puns,” Amick said, citing his reaction to an AP headline: “Soccer player injures foot scoring winning goal.” “Ralph’s comment: ‘The thrill of victory, the agony of de feet,’” she said. Curcio loved family, music, trains and trolley cars. An accomplished photographer, he often spent vacations snapping pictures of steam and diesel engines. In the weeks before his death, he and his lifelong friend Dan McFadden took a day trip to see an old North Jersey train station, his wife Pam Curcio said. The trip took much longer than expected and they were exhausted when they returned home, she said. “He called and said, ‘I guess we’re getting too old for this stuff.’ They left early and didn’t get home until about 10 p.m.,” Pam Curcio said. Curcio took great pride in his work for The Times and his responsibility to the community as a journalist, his colleagues said. He also provided comic relief in a sometimes tense work environment, they said. “He maintained a trademark sense of humor,” Malone said. “He provided a much-needed light touch in the daily grind of getting out a newspaper.” Ida Furente Doolan, former community news editor for The Times, remembered Curcio for his wide knowledge of doo-wop and music history. “He often was the go-to person for other editors when checking facts about music,” she said. “He had been a radio disc jockey in college and could recite the title of a song, its artist, year recorded, record label and what was on the flip-side without ever cracking open a resource book.” George Amick, columnist for The Times, recalled Curcio’s undeterred positive energy despite his illness. “He was totally upbeat about life, even about his own chronic illness,” Amick said. “He was kind, thoughtful and considerate in everything he did.” One December day when a Trenton snowstorm buried The Times parking lot, Curcio recruited two or three fellow workers to dig out cars for people still toiling at their desks, Amick said. Curcio is survived by his wife, Pam, and stepsons, Jay and Jeremy. The family has scheduled a viewing Friday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Paulson & Van Hise Funeral Home, 650 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrence, followed by a burial at the Ewing Church Cemetery on Scotch Road in Ewing.