Rita Sylvia Riccio

Rita Sylvia Riccio, 95, a life long resident of Meriden, died Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 at MidState Medical Center. Born on Labor Day 1913, she was the devoted daughter of the late Silvia (Gargiulo) and John Riccio.

She is survived by a nephew, John G. Riccio and his wife Christine of Worcester, MA; a grandniece, Elizabeth A. Riccio of Boston, MA; a grandnephew, Christopher J. Riccio of Worcester and several cousins, including Salvatore Fiore. She was predeceased by three brothers: the Rev. Alex Riccio, former pastor of St. Patrick-St. Anthony Church (Hartford), Dr. Joseph S. Riccio (Middlebury) and Norbert Riccio (Meriden); a sister, Rose Russo (New Haven); and a nephew, Joseph D. Riccio (Waterbury).

A graduate of St. Mary's School and Meriden High School, Rita graduated from Our Lady of Good Counsel College in White Plains, NY in 1935. She worked for the U.S. Dept. of Commerce at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations Marine Fisheries Lab in Milford, CT as a technical publications editor. She retired in 1986 at the age of 73 after fifty years of service.

She maintained the family home and to enter it was to step back to the 1940's, but her mind was ever inquisitive of current technology and science and she continued to marvel at the advances in these fields. She read the Meriden Record-Journal daily until her death and enjoyed solving the Jumble Word puzzle every day.

The Funeral will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008 at 10:30 a.m from the John J. Ferry & Sons Funeral Home, 88 East Main St., Meriden and at 11:00 a.m at St. Joseph Church for Mass of Christian burial. Burial will be in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home prior to the Mass from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to St. Joseph Church, 28 Goodwill Ave., Meriden, CT 06451, or Sisters of the Divine Compassion Good Counsel Convent, 52 North Broadway, White Plains, NY 10603.

www.jferryfh.com