ShopRite’s Steve Ravitz Dies From COVID-19

Steve Ravitz, the owner of five ShopRite stores and one Price Rite store in New Jersey, died April 7 from COVID-19 after suffering from it for 13 days, his son Jason wrote in a Facebook post.

“We are deeply saddened by the death of our beloved father and friend Steve Ravitz, the patriarch who guided our family business, Ravitz Family Markets, for 40 years,” the family said in a statement.

Ravitz, 73, had retired last year after opening the family business in 1968. He had previously worked in his father’s business in Philadelphia. He also was chairman emeritus of the Ravitz Family Foundation, which funded programs for underprivileged children in South New Jersey, giving away more than $5 million since its creation in 1996. Ravitz retired from the Wakefern Food Corp. in 2015 after serving for 27 years.

He is survived by sons Shawn, Jason, Brett and David; his daughter, Remy Strause; daughters-in-law Debbie Ravitz and Lauren Ravitz; son-in-law Brett Strause; his brother, Ron Ravitz; and eight grandchildren. His sons Jason, Shawn and Brett currently run the business.