Life Legacy
Raymond F. Cherenzia of 110 Watch Hill Road, Westerly, Rhode Island “the house with the flowers”, died peacefully on January 9, 2010 surrounded by all his loving family and close friends after a two year valiant battle with brain cancer.
Ray was born in Westerly on November 14, 1951, the son of the late Salvatore and Frances (Gaccione) Cherenzia.
Ray had a lifetime of personal and professional accomplishments, however, all took a back-seat to Ray’s pride and dedication to his three children; Sergio, a 2004 WPI civil engineering graduate, and recently licensed professional engineer; Damon, a 2007 civil and environmental engineering graduate from Villanova University; and Vanessa, a 2009 business marketing graduate from Sacred Heart University. He attended all of the athletic contests and academic presentations of his children at Prout High School and Sergio’s and Vanessa’s collegiate soccer games and attended Vanessa’s college graduation three days after brain tumor surgery.
Ray’s greatest attribute was his ability to connect with everyday people. He was that special person who could and always would make anyone he was around feel comfortable because anyone who has ever spent any time around him knew immediately that he was a very genuine caring person. He always spoke to you and never at you. His concern was always his people first and himself last.
After graduation from LaSalle Academy in 1969 Ray entered Worcester Polytechnic Institute and began a lifetime commitment to the school. As an undergraduate he joined Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and was chosen for the prestigious senior society, The Scull. He was a member of the wrestling team and in his senior year achieved All-New England status. He still holds the fifth highest pin ratio in WPI history. After earning his B.S. in Civil Engineering in 1973, he remained at WPI to complete graduate coursework and to serve as Assistant Wrestling Coach.
Ray was the owner and creator of Cherenzia & Associates, Ltd., a civil engineering firm, formally located in Westerly, RI for 30 plus years - now located at 99 Mechanic Street, Pawcatuck, CT, in a newly purchased beautiful 38,000 s.f. facility formally owned by Harris Graphics. He was the business partner and brother of Salvatore (Sam) E. Cherenzia, III. Together they owned and operated the civil engineering business as well as Cherenzia Excavation, Inc. which not only performed many large site work projects but also operates two quarries in Westerly, RI and produces many aggregate products for public and private consumption.
Along with Thomas J. Liguori, Jr., another long time associate, they created and developed many large, quality projects in the area, also employing many hundreds of people doing so.
Following several years of working out of the area with Metcalfe and Eddy, Engineers, Ray returned to Westerly to accept the position of Town Engineer. In 1979, he left public service and founded Cherenzia & Associates, Ltd., a full service regional civil engineering and land surveying company. He later purchased Rossi & Lewis, Inc., another local civil engineering and land surveying company. He was licensed as a Professional Engineer and Professional Land Surveyor in the states of Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Massachusetts, and as a Professional Engineer in the State of Maine.
A 1995 Westerly-Pawcatuck Chamber of Commerce Key Citizen of the Year Award recipient, Ray contributed his expertise without charge to a number of local charitable organizations including serving as the construction manager for the building of the Chamber’s headquarters and Olean Center addition. He also contributed the Master Plans for the Ocean Community YMCA, Watchaug camp site, Stand-Up for Animals and the Prout School. He was involved for many years with the Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Association and held a position on the Board of Trustees since 2008. Recently, he served as the Recording Secretary on the Town of Westerly Sign Ordinance Study Committee. Ray was active in the Westerly Rotary Club, serving as an officer, and also as President from 1992-93 and was a Paul Harris fellow. He served on the Board of Directors of the Chamber from 1991-1994 and 2002-2005. He was also a corporator of Dime Bank.
Ray continued to give back to his alma mater, serving on multiple committees and offices in the Poly Club, the school’s athletic support organization and the Alumni Association Board of Directors. In 1988, the school bestowed its Distinguished Service Award on him. He offered support to local high school juniors and seniors who were considering attending WPI and/or were entering into a career in civil engineering. Ray would meet with these young men and women, give them tours of his office, and showing them his firm’s work and the advancements in technology in the civil engineering field that he always strived to include in his company. Ray provided annual scholarships to Prout and Westerly graduates accepted to college engineering programs. He believed WPI graduates were the best prepared and gave initial employment to many graduates as junior engineers within his firm.
Ray annually sponsored a team in almost every recreational youth sports program in Westerly. Ray also started an annual company tradition of adopting a local family during the Christmas season.
Ray also remained active in wrestling, serving as a highly regarded referee at the college and high school levels for 25 years, including being chosen to officiate the Collegiate National Championships. He will be inducted into the Rhode Island Wrestling Hall of Fame in March.
His firm provided the civil engineering work for many of the regions’ largest projects. These included the soon-to-be reopened Ocean House, which required every permit issued by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management, Division of Water Resources, and included one of the largest on-site wastewater treatment facilities ever permitted.
Ray was an avid runner and biker. His love of running was so great that within days of his diagnosis and an initial brain tumor surgical removal, Ray completed the Tarzan Brown, Mystic River 5.5 mile road race. He ran 9 marathons, including Boston - twice; as well as Ocean State and Sugarloaf and was a proud member and sponsor of the Westerly Track and Athletic Club. He summated numerous mountains including Mt. Rainer, Mt. Hood, Mt. Katahdin and Mt. Washington. Ray could often be seen biking around town with his good friend George Comolli. He also played the clarinet in the Westerly Band.
Ray would of course always be seen with Tom at many town council meetings as well as many zoning and planning board meetings throughout many area towns including Westerly and Block Island.
In addition to his beloved children, Sergio, Damon and Vanessa, his brother Salvatore (Sam) E. Cherenzia, III, and sister-in-law Cathy, he is survived by his sisters; Joan Esneault and her husband Edward of Westerly and Alice McNamara and her husband Michael of South Carolina as well as his former wife; Rhonda (Zanella) Cherenzia and his fiancée; Jill Kass, also of Westerly, and several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.
Calling hours are Tuesday, January 12, 2010 from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Rushlow-Iacoi Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 64 Friendship Street, Westerly, RI. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered Wednesday, January 13, 2010 at 10:00 am at St. Clare Church, 4 St. Clare Way, Misquamicut, where Ray, was a communicant. There will be no procession from the funeral home. Burial will take place at St. Sebastian Cemetery, Westerly.
Memorial gifts in Ray’s memory may be made to Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island, 143 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879, or WPI Recreation Building Fund, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609.
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Born: November 14, 1951
Place of Birth: Westerly, RI USA
Death: January 9, 2010
Place of Death: Westerly, RI USA
Occupation: Owner of Cherenzia & Associates, Ltd. / Civil Engineer
Hobbies: Ray was an avid runner and biker.
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Jill Kass, Fiancée
Sergio Cherenzia, Son
Damon Cherenzia, Son
Vanessa Cherenzia, Daughter
Salvatore E. Cherenzia, III, Brother
Joan Esneault, Sister
Alice McNamara, Sister
Rhonda (Zanella) Cherenzia, Former wife
Several aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews
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Salvatore E. Cherenzia, Jr., Father
Frances (Gaccione) Cherenzia, Mother
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Memorial donations may be made to:
Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island, 143 Main Street, Wakefield, RI 02879, or WPI Recreation Building Fund, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609.
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This memorial provided by:
Rushlow-Iacoi Funeral Home and Cremation Services
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