Audrey L. Pucci

Audrey L. Pucci (nee Ridgway), a longtime resident of West Collingswood, NJ passed away on January 9, 2023, surrounded by her loving family.  Age 81 years.

Beloved wife of 53 years to the late Michael J. Pucci.  Loving mother of Michele (Toros) Zeibari of Claymont, DE, Michael (Cristin) Pucci of West Berlin, NJ and Lisa (Michael) Pucci-Klein of Sanford, FL.  Devoted grandmother of Michael (Lauren) Pucci, Nicholas Pucci, Matthew Zeibari, Aleksander Zeibari and Abigail Pucci.  Dear sister of Thelma Pennington, the late Wallis, Raymond, Arnold and Robert Ridgway and the late Marion Ivins and Janet Mateson.  She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Audrey Lorraine Ridgway was born in Fairview, NJ on October 17, 1941. Her parents were Wallis and Marion Ridgway. She was the 7th of 8 children in total. Her siblings were Wallis, Raymond, Thelma, Marion, Janet, Arnold and Robert. Audrey is also survived by her children, grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Thelma, her oldest sister, is her only surviving sibling today.  Audrey was the youngest of all four girls and grew up in Fairview. She went to Yorkship School through 8th grade; Hatch School in 9th, then Camden High School for 10th-12th grades and then graduated in 1959.

Audrey had many friends in her neighborhood. Some of who still get together currently, and often throughout the year. They go out to lunch to celebrate their birthdays and their long standing and dear friendships.  As a young girl, Audrey and her friends loved to sing and dance in the living room. Her mother would roll up their carpet. They would wind up the record player. Another friend would play the piano and they would all dance to their heart’s content! They would also go to the movies at The Crescent Theater on Mt. Ephraim Avenue on Friday nights and roller skate at the Mt. Ephraim Skating Rink on Saturday nights.  The story goes that one of the main reasons they enjoyed the movies so much is because of the actor Michael Landon.  He wasn’t an actor then but was born as Eugene Maurice Orowitz.  His family had moved to Collingswood in 1941 and he worked as an usher in the same movie theater as his father owned it.  They thought he was so handsome and would sneak into the theater and swoon all over him by calling out his name “Eugene”, over and over!

Audrey was also a tomboy growing up and very well known to everyone. She also had a reputation for being a fierce protector of her youngest brother, Robert. She would beat up any bullies who made fun of him; and that made Audrey and Robert’s relationship very special and very close throughout their lives.

After graduating High School, Audrey worked at Curtis Publishing in Philadelphia for many years. At one time, Audrey’s sister, Marion, her mother, who was also named Marion, her oldest sister, Thelma and Audrey’s niece, Johanna, all worked there.  They would take the bus from Fairview, NJ over the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, into the city of Philadelphia. They called it a Family Affair!  Audrey then moved on to Blue Cross/Blue Shield in Philadelphia and worked there for several years.

Audrey met her first husband Emil Gutowsky and eloped to Elkton, MD in 1963. Emil owned a gas station on Rt. 130 in Collingswood and a had 4 story Victorian Duplex on Collings Avenue in West Collingwood.  They were very happy together. Tragically, Emil died before their baby was born and unfortunately their baby didn’t survive after birth.

Audrey loved hers and all Cadillacs vehicles.  It was her “Caddy” as she called it. When it needed to be fixed or have an oil change done, naturally she took it to back to the same gas station to have the only mechanic whom she knew and trusted to work on it.  His name was Michael J. Pucci. The story goes that she went often to get her “car fixed” and soon a relationship was formed. Michael and Audrey got married on September 9, 1967; and went to Cape Cod, Massachusetts for their Honeymoon.

Their first daughter, Michele Lynn, was born in 1968. Their son, Michael John Jr. was born in 1970 and their third child, a girl, named Lisa Ann, was born in 1971. Audrey’s husband, Michael Sr., “Mike” was a Diesel Mechanic by trade and worked shift work at Matlack Trucks for many years. Audrey stayed home to support their family until Lisa went into Kindergarten. She then worked at Trinity Nursery School in Cherry Hill, NJ as a Teacher’s Aide. She thoroughly enjoyed her job, the kids and her co-workers.

Audrey’s children meant everything to her.  (In 2019, she even got her second tattoo on her left forearm, with her daughter, Lisa, showing a red heart around the saying, “My Blessings Michele, Michael and Lisa” underneath it.  During her children’s years at Transfiguration Elementary School on the White Horse Pike in Collingswood, Audrey was active as a volunteer.  She was a Room Mother; on the PTA; and was also the Treasurer of their Bowling League. She had a lot of fun bowling at Baker Lanes on Cuthbert Road in Cherry Hill, with the other mothers who were her good friends. She was also a Brownie Leader for Lisa’s Brownie Troop. Audrey would take her son, Michael, to the baseball fields in Knight’s Park and enjoyed watching all of his games and cheering for him and his teams! She also took her children to Robert’s Pool during the summers and enrolled them in Archery Lessons at Collingswood High School, which was held on the grounds, beyond the football field.  They would walk or bike ride around Knight’s Park and Cooper River Park. Fourth of July’s were spent walking the four blocks up to Collingswood High School and watching the Fireworks every year. 

Mike and Audrey took a lot of road trips themselves leaving their children with Mike’s parents. They drove down as far as New Orleans and up to the New England states and everywhere in between. As a family they camped often in Parvin State Park and slept in the back of Mike’s truck in the camper with their dog Rusty, too.

Family was most important to her. She and Mike hosted several Open Houses on Christmas Eves surrounded by their families. They would have parties at their house on Sundays during Football Season every week. Holiday Dinners were at their house too, with her in-laws, Frank and Antoinette Pucci, and her brother-in-law, also named, Frank.  Super Bowl Parties were always a ton of fun at the Pucci household every year with her extended family and friends. She would take her children to visit her parents who were still living in Fairview and spend dinners with them on Friday nights.  She, her mother and children went to listen to live music at Cooper River Park and the kids got to play at the playground too.

In 1989, Audrey changed jobs to work at Kids Kampus Day Care in Westmont, NJ; after all her children had graduated from Paul VI High School in Haddon Township. Audrey was the Head Teacher in the Infant Room. Audrey loved taking care of the babies and developed wonderful friendships with her co-workers, some of whom she was still friends with to this day. Audrey then retired in 2009, and then spent most of her time with her four grandsons, Michael John III, Nicholas Joseph, Matthew Kevork and Aleksander Misak.  She attended all their sporting events, Cub and Boy Scouting events, Concerts, and Marching Band Competitions; in addition to babysitting all of them in their young lives.  She took many vacations with them and her family from the South Jersey Shore to the beaches in Delaware, Maryland, Corolla, North Carolina and multiple trips to Florida to visit her daughter, Lisa, and her husband Mike.  One year she joined her daughter Michele and her husband, Toros, Toros’ mother, and their two boys, Matthew and Alek, and vacationed to the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia.  It was extra memorable for Audrey, as they stayed in a Log Cabin, which was one of her items on her bucket list! They also went to Ohio to visit the Football Hall of Fame and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Audrey loved seeing Elvis’ outfits and instruments as she loved him and his music all of her life! She treasured every moment of these family times; and was always up for any adventure anywhere!

In 2018, Audrey finally had a granddaughter! She was born to her son Michael and his wife, Cristin. They named her Abigail Audrey! Audrey was so touched that she cried tears of joy! She was such a proud Grandmother! She felt blessed and complete and enjoyed every moment of her time with Abigail and seeing  her grow into the beautiful little lady she is today!  

Audrey and Mike had a cat, named Buttons.  She was very special to them. Buttons would follow both of them  around the house all day. She would hang out with Mike in the basement and in his workshop. She would then follow Audrey all over the house, up and down the stairs, and finally crash on the sofa, while Audrey would watch old time movies with Mike and the Philadelphia Sports Teams.  She was an avid fan and especially loved the Phillies, Eagles and Flyers. She would often text her grandson about the score and could be heard yelling at her team at any point and time for better or worse! Audrey also loved Lighthouses. She visited many over the years, but her favorite is the one in Cape May and climbed the stairs many times. She felt strongly that they were a beacon of light, and that they would represent helping you find your way, in any given situation. She received many lighthouses as gifts over the years and bought many too! And treasured every one of them.  She even had a Lighthouse room in their home which she enjoyed decorating seasonally. In 2011, Audrey got her first ever tattoo of a lighthouse on her right forearm at the young age of 69 in honor of her 70th birthday! Everyone thought she was so cool to have done that later in life!

Audrey and Mike lived in their home until 2020 when Mike died suddenly on April 4th of that year. Audrey then moved into an independent living facility called Yardley Commons in Voorhees, NJ. She lived there with her two cats, Smokey and Girly until she needed some help in her daily routine and moved down the road to an assisted living facility called The Residence at Voorhees. She had a lot of fun there, enjoyed activities like Bingo and crafts and especially Happy Hour on Thursdays at 3pm! She enjoyed going on outings to restaurants, shopping and making friends with the residents and staff.

Audrey was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease in the Summer of 2022. Unfortunately, it progressed very quickly, and she passed peacefully on January 9, 2023, at the age of 81, with her family by her side.  Audrey was one of a kind. A no-nonsense kind of woman and was known for doing things her own way. She had a couple of nicknames of Audy, Little Audrey and Shorty that were given to her over the years which made her laugh with her beautiful smile.  She enjoyed joking around with people and always surprised everyone with her spunk and funny comebacks and remarks.  She always saw the positive side of things and was an amazing daughter, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She will always be remembered lovingly, dearly and fondly by everyone who knew her.  May she rest in peace.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her visitation on Wednesday, January 18, 9:30 to 11:00 AM at the FOSTER-WARNE FUNERAL HOME, 820 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, NJ.  Memorial service will follow at 11:00 AM.  Inurnment Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Audrey's memory to the Parkinson's Foundation NY/NJ Chapter (https://parkinson.org/nynj) and/or the Cape May Lighthouse (https://cmmac.ticketapp.org/portal/product/124) -- Memorial Gifts -- Honor the memory of a loved one through a memorial gift to Cape May MAC.  Please select the appropriate fund and use the comment section on the donation form to indicate the person you are honoring and whom to notify of your generous gift and lasting tribute.