Ronald Paul Rapaport, 86

May 01, 2023

On Monday, May 1st, 2023, Ronald Paul Rapaport, age 86, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully. Born in 1936 in Detroit, Michigan to father Saul Rapaport and mother Helene Rapaport Wiener, Ron was clever and quick witted, frequently playing jokes on his older sister, Darla. To this day, the family still laughs about the “one-legged paper doll incident”.

Ron grew up in a house full of music and dance, learning the importance of living a life full of love and fun. It instilled a passion for performing, which defined much of his life.

After traveling around a bit, Ron moved to Erie, PA where he was a DJ known as “Ron Cash” for WJET Radio, Erie’s first independent all music radio station. In addition to playing the latest hits, Ron interviewed celebrities like Eydie Gormé, Steve Lawrence, and Frankie Valli, and raised funds for charities by performing stunts like hosting his regular deejay show from atop a 50-foot pole in a downtown Erie shopping center. Pretty impressive, considering he was afraid of heights.

Ron shifted from playing records in Erie to investigative reporting in Pittsburgh, PA for KDKA Radio. His story, “Inside Kane Hospital”, earned him a Golden Quill Award for journalistic excellence in Western Pennsylvania. Eventually, Ron moved from broadcasting to building his own advertising agency, which he ran for over two decades, creating PR and Marketing campaigns for such clients as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and Evel Knievel.

Ron eventually relocated to Lancaster, PA, where he continued his love of music, playing a mean clarinet in The Chopped Liver River Band. He was a beloved member of Congregation Shaarai Shomayim, indulged his passion for harness racing, and enjoyed hanging out with his “Cronies” at a local Lancaster diner.

Ron is survived by his wife, Carol Giltman Rapaport, his children, Darla Prudhomme, Mary (Gillingham Landis) Rapaport, Beck Grey, Carrie Rapaport, Michael (Heather) Orstein, and Abby (James) Murphy, his nine grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, his sister, Darla Schwartz, his nephews Ted Schwartz, Jeff Schwartz and his niece Pam Schwartz. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to adoptahorse.org, in honor of his love for harness racing.

Friends are invited to attend his graveside funeral service May 3, 2023 at 11AM at Cemetery Shaarai Shomayim, 223 E. Liberty St., Lancaster, PA with Rabbi Jack Paskoff officiating.