Raffaele Marraffa
Obituary

Raffaele Marraffa passed away on September 3, 2026, in Los Angeles, California. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on August 7, 1945, Raffaele lived a life filled with faith, creativity, music and dancing.

Raffaele was a devoted Catholic and attended St. Monica Catholic Church every Sunday. His faith was a source of comfort and strength throughout his life.

Raffaele was a writer, director, and producer, as well as a longtime stagehand and proud member of Union Local 33. One of his cherished accomplishments was graduating in 1979 from the Guitar Institute of Technology in Hollywood, where he studied bass under the legendary bassist Carol Kaye.

Music was at the heart of Raffaele's life. He played bass and bugle and maintained lifelong friendships through his involvement with drum and bugle corps, both as a teenager and later as a senior. One of his treasured experiences was performing at Carnegie Hall as a young man. He was also a member of the Sunrisers Drum Corps.

Raffaele loved going to concerts, being out on the town, and enjoying life. His love of dancing was a lifelong passion. He danced salsa and cha cha throughout his life, right up until the very end. His energy, love of music, and zest for life were unmistakable.

He was a loving father and grandfather and is survived by his daughter, Caitlin Hardin; his grandson, Stone Hardin; Caitlin’s wife and Raffaele’s daughter-in-law, Ivey Hardin; and his former wife and close friend, Susan Marraffa.

Raffaele will be remembered for his faith, his Italian pride, his creativity, his love of music, and his joyful spirit. He lived life on his own terms, surrounded by the people and things he loved—and he danced all the way to the end.

May he rest in eternal peace.