Richard Raffaele I

Richard Lewis Raffaele I, lovingly known as Rick, passed away on September 10, 2026, after a battle with cancer. He was 73 years old.

Rick was born on May 5, 1953, to Virginia and Dominic Raffaele and was raised in Portland alongside his six siblings: Joe, Mike, Steve, Nick, Lori, and Ginny. Growing up in a large Catholic family shaped much of who he was, and his faith remained an important part of his life. He attended Central Catholic High School, where he played running back on the football team and was remembered by former teammates as someone opposing teams had a particularly hard time bringing down.

Rick remained a devout Catholic throughout his life. If there were two things Rick loved fiercely, they were the Portland Trail Blazers and his wife, Carla. Though there was never really any competition, as Carla was the great love of his life, and together they built a family that included their four children: Maria, Rick, Robert, and Stephanie.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Carla; his children, Maria, Rick, Robert, and Stephanie; his daughter-in-law, Jacque; and his five grandchildren, including Ricky, Haley, and Caden. He is also survived by his siblings, Joe, Mike, Steve, Nick, Lori, and Ginny.

Rick was preceded in death by his parents, Virginia and Dominic Raffaele.

He will be remembered for his faith, his sense of humor, his love of family, his unwavering loyalty to the Trail Blazers, and, depending on which family member you ask, either his remarkable ability to count the number of Red Vines in an entirely full bucket or a voice that could fill just about any room.

As Rick himself would have explained, “I’m not yelling, I’m just Italian.”