In Memory of Joe Ramaikas, "the Cupcake Guy to the Celebrities"
A light has gone out. Joe radiated Joy and brightened all our days. He was one of the rare breed.
You had to like him. Words just don't work in this case
He made my birthday cake every year and was the only baker who could replicate my Mom's. Besides that he was a great guy and I will miss him.
This is horrible news. Joe made every person who entered feel like a good friend. My heart aches for his family and everyone at Cedar Ridge Cafe.
I can't stop crying about this. We were Cupcake Corral people and I was always so happy for him at how Cedar Ridge became so popular. My husband was outside-of-the-cafe buds with him, and he always came and sat with us when we came in with our family. I can't imagine what Felice and Hank are going through right now. every time I think about them I start crying again--the whole family is so sweet and he so clearly loved them more than anything.
My only consolation is that he was probably having an amazing time right before he died. And I guess we can only hope we can all be so lucky.
Very sad. I did not know him or his cupcakes, but I am very sorry for those who did.
We are all so sad. He remembered me from the first time I went in years ago and was always so friendly. My daughter started working there a few months ago and he was a great boss. She and her friends/coworkers are devastated.
I am a neighbor of Cedar Ridge and a regular at the cafe. Joe's warmth and humor lit the place even on rainy days. I can't believe he won't be there to pet my dog each day when we walk by, or to recommend the Asian chicken salad or savory scone of the day. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and all who loved him.
Can something be done at Maplewoodstock to honor Joe and all he did for this community he loved so much?
marylago said:
Very sad. I did not know him or his cupcakes, but I am very sorry for those who did.
same here. sad news nonetheless.
Wow, that sucked the wind out of me. I only met Joe a handful of times - first at the Bizarre Bazaar, where he and Paul were hawking those damn-these-are-good chocolate peppermint cookies and hot cocoa, and then at Cedar Ridge, where I enjoyed an occasional lunch with a friend or my son. It was such a convivial place, where you were sure to run into other people you knew, and just felt so cozy and comfortable. The most notable thing about Joe, aside from his wonderful food, was that he made you feel like an old friend from the very first meeting. I regret not wandering in there more often.
My deepest condolences to his family and to Paul and the rest of the Cedar Ridge crew. What a terrible, much-too-soon loss.
Very sad news. And it seems strange and cruel that our town's small business community has lost such valued members - Laura, Angelo and now Joe.
Wow this is so sad! We just moved to MW and started going to the Cedar Ridge pretty regularly for a weekend lunch and it has become one of my favorite places. My husband and I not only love the scones, coffee and breakfast burritos but also the friendly and quirky atmosphere.
My condolences go to his family, friends and co-workers.
mantram said:
Very sad news. And it seems strange and cruel that our town's small business community has lost such valued members - Laura, Angelo and now Joe.
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mantram said:
Very sad news. And it seems strange and cruel that our town's small business community has lost such valued members - Laura, Angelo and now Joe.
Seriously!
Such sad news. I've been out of sorts all day. I spent many afternoons hanging out with Joe when our boys were smaller. Such an awesome guy, so easy to talk to. He'll be greatly missed.
Should have known he was a fan of "Repo Man." That's just the postscript to this perfect, moving portrait:
Joe Ramaikas ‘Changed the Course of My Life’ — A Friend Remembers
DaveSchmidt said:
Should have known he was a fan of "Repo Man." That's just the postscript to this perfect, moving portrait:
Joe Ramaikas ‘Changed the Course of My Life’ — A Friend Remembers
Thanks for posting Dave. Joe was a good man with a nice family. It is very sad to hear of his passing but it is nice to hear about so many people he touched. We should all aspire to do the same.
Yeah, I'm not paying $15 to some chiselers to read about a man we loved. Can a mod put Village Green links on auto-ban?
Everything I start to write seems wrong. I refuse to believe he’s gone and the words are inadequate to describe him. Saying “was” instead of “is” makes me cringe. Because I want so badly to believe he will pick me up tomorrow at 5:50 a.m. and we will ride to the bakery together, listening to WFMU, and he will tell me all about his trip.
Joe was more than my boss. He was a best friend of mine for the last three years. He was the first person I saw upon waking up most mornings. He saw me at my worst, and I saw him at his. He shot straight and gave me the advice I needed to hear, not the advice I wanted to hear. He had the perfect shoulder to cry on, which I utilized more than I’d like to admit. And he always knew when I needed a hug, which is amazing because I am not a hugger.
I never had the chance to tell him how much I appreciated him. Or love him. How much he changed my life and made me realize my dream. He brought me on as his assistant baker over three years ago, when all I knew was how to make bland vegan cupcakes and couldn’t pipe on frosting, and gave me the confidence to become what I am today. He allowed me to be creative since day one, gave me keys to the bakery by week two, and put me in charge of the case this year. He never doubted me. He changed the course of my life and he will never know how thankful I am for that.
It angers me that there are people that viewed Joe as a grump or even flat out mean. It upsets me that not everyone saw him in the light I did. I guess his complex personality wasn’t for everyone. He was not fake upon meeting anyone. He was always himself. And if you got to talk to him you realized how amazing a human being he truly was.
I’ve lost family members to cancer or old age. I’ve lost friends to drugs which was a shock because they were so young. But Joe’s passing is not an easy one to understand. It isn’t fair. It doesn’t make sense. But part of me wants to embrace the fact that a few weeks ago, after years of saying he wanted one, he got his first tattoo. He got a mermaid on his arm for his mother. And he passed away while snorkeling with his family. There is beauty in that.
I love you, Joe. And I will never forget you or the impact you had on my life. I will never forget our early morning routines. Or our banter. Or our fights. Or all the cute animals you’ve sent me pictures of over the years. I promise I’ll finally read the Moon Knight comic you bought me, even if it’s Marvel. I promise I’ll finally play Dungeons and Dragons and be the best at it in your honor. I will try my hardest to continue what you started at Cedar Ridge, even if it means I have to always make the brownies now.
I promise to make you proud.
A word about the photo: Joe ebayed me that copy of Repo Man within minutes of finding out I had never seen it before, questioning if I was really a punk because that movie is a classic. He also thought it was ridiculous that he had to buy it on VHS in 2014 because I do not own a DVD player.
Woot said:
It is very sad to hear of his passing but it is nice to hear about so many people he touched.
Many people, and in a wide circle. I once saw Felice and Joe, who was carrying a box of cupcakes, as we were getting off the train in Penn Station and asked where they were headed. They were going to a Tori Amos concert. Nice -- and the cupcakes? They were for Tori, whom they knew through Felice's work.
Beloved Cafe Owner and Maplewood Resident Joe Ramaikas Passes Suddenly
You hear a lot about how Maplewoodians are what make the township so inviting. Outside of neighbors we had met, Joe was that Maplewoodian for my family and me when we moved here.
I first encountered him when one of those neighbors organized a school fund-raiser at what was then the Cupcake Corral; Joe graciously opened up at night and, better yet, provided dessert. Thus hooked, I returned another day for more, and late afternoon visits for cupcakes to take home became a fairly regular ritual. Often accompanied by my son, who enjoyed making the selections, I looked forward to being surprised by Joe's latest imaginative flavors, the new combinations always living up to old favorites.
It was another combination of Joe's -- friendly, funny and forthright -- that made me look forward just as much to our chats. Whether in the cafe or out and about, crossing paths with him was a delight. I'll miss seeing him.