Ralph L. Audi, cherished husband, father, grandfather and brother, died in his Natick home Monday, April 9. He was 74.
Mr. Audi, formerly of Wellesley, Mass., was the beloved husband of Rita R. (Srougi) Audi, who survives him. The couple shared 47 years of marriage, two sons, and five grandchildren.
Mr. Audi, a Natick resident for 27 years, was born in Jaffa, Palestine, the son of the late Lutof and Khanom (Jaddah) Audi.
In a family of talkers, Mr. Audi’s strength was in finance and numbers. He was the Controller for the Epoch Senior Living for the past 17 years, a role he performed with great care and good cheer.
He previously was an accountant for the Prism Corporation and prior to that he worked with his brothers at Awdeh & Company.
Mr. Audi was a graduate of the Middle Eastern Baptist College in Beirut, Lebanon, associated with Loma Linda University in California.
He began his accounting career in Lebanon and then worked for various companies located in Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Greece. He and his family immigrated to the United States from Beirut, Lebanon in 1984.
Mr. Audi built a successful life in the Boston area, surrounded by a large extended family, where he was known for his kindness, humor and curiosity. He was also known for his Easter Sunday celebrations, a favorite holiday, which he hosted a final time for the family on April 8.
He enjoyed going on cruises with his wife, vacationing in Myrtle Beach, S.C. and playing poker on the weekends with his brothers and cousins. A dedicated fan, he enjoyed watching the New England Patriots win on Sundays. Above all, he enjoyed spending time with his two grandsons and three granddaughters who knew him as their loving “Dodo” -- a traditional family nickname for grandpa.
As a young man, he loved to go kayaking on the Mediterranean Sea, and was a former Boy Scout Leader. He also liked listening to classical and opera music.
In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons: Rick Ralph Audi, and his wife Claudia Audi of Westborough; Robert Rami Audi, and his wife Erica A. Piesz of Sturbridge; as well as five grandchildren he adored; two brothers Zuheir and Fuad, his cousin Sam, and many nieces and nephews. He was also the brother of the late Makram.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Tuesday, April 17 from 5:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home 4 Park Street, at Natick Common.
Burial will be private.
Expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to Vernon Cancer Center at Newton Wellesley Hospital. Donations can be directed to the NWH Vernon Cancer Center and sent to the NWH Development Office at 2014 Washington St. Newton, MA 02462, or to Care Dimensions Hospice at www.caredimensions.org/giving/ways-to-give/memorials.cfm