Ralph Gaiffe

Ralph Edwin Gaiffe 8/9/1931 – 10/16/2023 Ralph Gaiffe was born August 9, 1931, in Toledo, Ohio to Emmy and Edwin Gaiffe. He moved with his parents to Detroit, Michigan as a child and lived in the Detroit area all his life. He met Janet after he returned from Germany, serving in the US Army. They both worked at Wink Chevrolet, Ralph at the parts counter and Janet the cashier. They married on June 2, 1956, and moved into a house on Antago Street in Livonia, MI where they lived until August 2023. Ralph was a mechanic all his life, first automobiles, milk trucks, and then later in life as a master mechanic on lift trucks. He retired at the age of 70, passing along his expertise and skills to the next generation. He always said, “It doesn’t matter if you’re the president or the garbage man, you have to love your job.” If you were one of Ralph’s three kids, you learned to change the oil in your car, change a tire on the side of the road, check the fluids, and diagnose quite a few of those clinks, clunks, whines, and thumps you might hear under your hood. And those few instances where someone in the family had a fender bender, he always said “Don’t cry, it’s only metal and rubber.” Ralph and Janet were avid volunteers in the Clarenceville School District and cherished the lifelong friendships they developed at Clarenceville. They volunteered at sports events, the Edgewood Family Fun Fair, and were an integral part of the Clarenceville Athletic Boosters Club.” Ralph loved old tractors, classic cars, a good cheese omelette, reading the newspaper, driving (until age 86), chocolate, and strong black coffee, but mostly he loved Janet. As parents, they rarely missed a gymnastics meet, football game, softball game, track meet, or other sporting events their kids participated in. Later in life, Ralph was an avid fan at his grandkids football, baseball, and basketball games, and even traveled a couple of times to see grandson Jake fence in tournaments. Family and close friends celebrated his 92nd birthday together in Michigan in early August with lunch and his favorite peach cobbler for dessert. The celebration weekend included a trip to The Henry Ford Museum, that Ralph thoroughly enjoyed. Ralph is survived by his wife Janet, son Michael (Lori), daughter Julie (Mark), daughter Shari (David), six grandsons (Dustin (Shara), Jake (Daryn), Joe (Allie), Nick, Nathan, and Johnnie), two great grandchildren (Alana and Bryson), a large loving extended family, and a family of lifelong friends. Family and friends will be invited to celebrate Ralph at a private Celebration of Life later this year. In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution in Ralph’s memory to one of his favorite places, Greenfield Village and the Henry Ford Museum. Call 313-982-6115 or email giving@thehenryford.org for more information about donating.