Brenda Mary Ricci

Brenda Ricci

AGE: 76 • Cliffwood

Brenda Ricci, 76, of Cliffwood passed away on Friday October 24, 2014 at home surrounded by her family. She was born in Boston, but a vacation would take her to Keyport where she met and married her husband Anthony at 17 years old. They had lived in Cliffwood when first married then for a time in Middletown and back to where she loved the most Cliffwood for the last 45 years.Brenda was devoted to her family, a friend to all, a selfless individual who always gave of herself, a calm loving person, always with a smile. She enjoyed cooking especially on Sunday's when she made the best Italian meal in town, learning recipes from her mother-in-law, it was always an open house on Sunday's everyone was welcome for a meal and a glass of homemade wine, even the local police would stop by for one of her famous meatballs. Brenda loved spending time at her summer home on the river in the Lake George Region where she made many friends for life, hosting her Boston friends during those wonderful summers and visiting Saratoga to take in the horse racing. Brenda enjoyed trips to Atlantic City and playing her favorite slot machines never leaving a machine to even eat. She was very close to her sisters-in-law Gloria, Jennie and Tootie, Brenda was a mom who would speak to all her daughters everyday just to talk, but Brenda was the last person you would ever want to tell a secret to almost giggling when you told her a secret knowing she was going to get on the phone immediately to share the secret. She adored her son Frankie whom she lost in 2013, he was her king and she cared dearly for her daughter Domenica. Brenda was very much part of a big Italian family but she was so proud of her Irish heritage. Her memory will live on in the hearts and minds of all who knew her.

She was predeceased by her parents, David and Margaret Sullivan; son, Frank B. Ricci; son-in-law, Gerry Poyssick; her brother, Larry Sullivan; brother-in-law, Richie Collins; brother and sisters-in-law, Gloria and John Bunger, Jennie Cherney, Tootie and Walter Chomic, and Frank Ricci. Brenda leaves behind her husband of 60 wonderful years, Anthony Ricci; five daughters and 3 sons-in-law, Brenda Poyssick, Domenica Ricci, Marcella and Jerry Coughlin, Honey and Doug Hay, Sunny and Dee Rudko; 9 grandchildren, Douglas Frank and his wife Jenna, Natalie and her husband Phil, Marcella, Anthony Ricci, Reggie Ricci, Johnnie, Santino, Deeko, and Domenica; 4 great-grandchildren, Nicolette, Douglas Thomas, Sonnie and Nico; her brother, David Sullivan; her sister, Joan Collins; sister-in-law, Kathy Sullivan; and many many nieces and nephews that she was very close to always remembering to make a call for a birthday, to send a card, to see how someone was feeling or just to say hello.

Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2014 from 2-4pm and 7-9pm at the Waitt Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 501 Highway 79, Morganville, NJ 07751. Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the Funeral Home 8:15am on Thursday, October 30, 2014 followed by a 9:15am Mass at St. Catherine's Church in Holmdel. Burial will take place at St. Joseph Cemetery, Keyport. To post photos, share a memory or send an online condolence, please visit www.waittfh.com