Dear University community,
It is with great sadness that I write to inform you of the death of University alumnus and benefactor Joseph Della Ratta.
Joe was raised in Long Island, New York and earned his B.A. in economics in 1953. He earned varsity letters in basketball, baseball, track, and boxing. He was the first Cardinal to score 1,000 points in basketball and is considered one of the greatest athletes in University history.
After graduating, he served our country in the Army. In 1970, he founded Della Ratta, Inc. a leading commercial development services organization.
When you look around our beautiful campus, there are many signs of Joe’s dedication to the mission of Catholic University. He served the University as a trustee from 1981 to 1986 and played a pivotal role in fundraising for the construction of the Raymond A. DuFour Athletic Center, which opened in 1985. In 2015, he and his family established the Centesimus Annus Endowed Chair in the Busch School of Business. His support for the renovation of Maloney Hall gave Della Ratta Auditorium its name. Joe and his family have also given very generously to the Impact Scholars program, offering many young people the opportunity of a Catholic University education.
We are very grateful for Joe’s life and his many decades of contributions to the University community, and we extend our sincerest condolences to his family. Further details about his funeral Mass will be forthcoming.
Please join me in praying for the repose of the soul of our friend Joe. May he rest in peace and may his family be comforted by the Spirit as they grieve.
Sincerely,
Peter Kilpatrick
President
The Catholic University of America