THOMAS R. RUOCCO

RUOCCO, THOMAS R. Thomas R. “Rock” Ruocco, age 61, of Newark, DE, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, June 15, 2016. Born in New Haven, CT on January 26, 1955, Thomas was a son of Gennaro and Victoria Ruocco. He attended the University of Delaware and was a graduate of both Farleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ and McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. Thomas proudly served his country in the U.S. Air Force and Delaware Air National Guard for a total of 23 years, retiring in 2004 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He was a combat veteran of both Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom where he served as a C-130 Navigator. A career educator, Thomas taught elementary school at Brandywine Springs, Forest Oak, Warner and Heritage Elementary Schools in the Red Clay Consolidated School District for over 20 years. In his leisure time, he enjoyed listening to music of all kinds, playing guitar, and spending time on the bocce ball court. Thomas will be remembered as a kind, loving and compassionate person and will be missed by all who knew him. He was preceded in death by his father, Gennaro and a brother, Frank. Thomas is survived by his mother, Victoria of Branford, CT; beloved wife of over 32 years, Betty R. (Fuller) Ruocco; children, Lauren Mease (Adam) of Townsend, DE, Michael Ruocco (Maria) of Newark, DE and Jeffrey Ruocco of Newark, DE; mother-in-law, Sarah Ruth Fuller of Fairhope, AL and Malvern, AR; brother, Jerry Ruocco (Nancy) of Windham, NH; sisters, Bettyann Sawicki (Wayne) of Orange, CT and Wenndi Freer (Michael) of Encinitas, CA; and grandsons, Owen and Shane Mease. A funeral service will be held at 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, June 19, 2016 at the Newark United Methodist Church, 69 E. Main Street, Newark, Delaware, where a visitation for family and friends will be held from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. A committal service will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday morning, June 20, 2016 in the chapel of the Delaware Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 2465 Chesapeake City Road, Bear, DE. The family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the Gift of Life Family House, 401 Callowhill St., Philadelphia, PA 19123 or to the Fisher House Foundation Inc., 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 420, Rockville, MD 20850. To sign guest book, visit spicermullikin.com