Paul Howard Ravenna, age 86, of Cincinnati, passed away on March 30, 2026. He was born on December 16, 1939, in Bedford, Indiana.

Paul married Ruth Ann (Sparke) Ravenna in 1965. Together they raised eight children: Paul (Kelly) Ravenna, Ann (Alan) Fershtman, John (Eunice) Ravenna, Jim Ravenna, Charlie (Luna) Ravenna, Laura (Chris) Grote, Bob Ravenna, and Kevin Wilson. He was blessed with fourteen grandchildren: Katie, Will (dec.), Margaret, and Emma Ravenna; Ben, Lauren, Noah, and Aaron Fershtman; Ray Ravenna; Kenley and Luke Ravenna; CJ, Calvin, and Gina Grote.

Paul was the youngest of Julius and Margaret Ravenna's five children. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings James (Beulah), Harold (Martha), and Nelda. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann; his sister Marylou and brother-in-law Ted Elchynski; his eight children; and thirteen grandchildren.

From his upbringing and family life in Bedford, Indiana, he developed strong small-town values. He never shied away from hard work, looked out for his neighbors, and had a strong sense of community. He enjoyed getting to know others, loved to tell stories, and worked to help others get a fair shot.

Paul was deeply committed to the Catholic Faith. He attended daily Mass and believed in the reforms of Vatican II. He attended St. Meinrad Seminary and completed his education with an MBA from Xavier University. He and his wife Ruth Ann worked hard to send their children to Catholic schools. After daily Mass, he could be found at the Red Squirrel with his wife and friends, listening to world problems and offering his point of view.

Paul's primary career was at Cincinnati Insurance Company, where he retired after 37 years of service. He had an entrepreneurial spirit, starting and running several small businesses in his retirement.

As Paul's family grew, his children all became active in sports. He found great joy in coaching not only his own children, but other children as well. You could see Paul's values come through in his approach to coaching. He believed all kids deserved to play in EVERY game, he challenged his teams to continuously improve and he fostered a love of the sport. He coached all of his children in baseball and especially basketball through the White Oak Athletic Association and St. James School teams, winning many league and tournament championships. He enjoyed seeing all of his children shine, grow as athletes, and most importantly, put forth genuine effort. Paul attended as many of his children's games as was humanly possible, and in his later years he especially enjoyed watching his grandchildren's games.

In his retirement, Paul volunteered at St. Vincent de Paul. He was an avid golfer and enjoyed playing euchre and bridge. He was often found at River Downs hoping to win a race or two or playing slots at one of the local casinos. He liked to travel and visited many of the national parks in the United States and Canada. He made a couple of trips to Europe and especially loved his trip to Italy, where he was able to connect with his family roots.

Paul made such an impact on his family, friends and community. He lived generously, with gifts of time, energy and assets, and sought to make a difference in people's lives. His kindness shaped our family, his presence grounded us and his love will continue to guide us. We will miss him dearly, but will carry his spirit forward through the values he lived every day.

Visitation on Saturday, April 11, 2026 from 9:30am until Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30am at St. Ann's Church at 2900 West Galbraith Rd. Cincinnati, Oh. 45239.

In lieu of flowers - Please donate to your favorite charity.