Former Borough President Ralph J. Lamberti, 90, a passionate civil servant dedicated to securing Staten Island’s fair share of services and improving the quality of life for fellow residents of his hometown borough, died Saturday morning in Sea View Hospital Rehabilitation Center and Home. The cause of death was complications from Alzheimer’s disease, his family shared.

“This is a sad day for Staten Island,” said Borough President Vito J. Fossella. “One of the great leaders in our lifetime on Staten Island, Ralph navigated the halls of government with mayors, governors and legislators as a unifying leader in the history of our borough.”