Facebook Post – Nov 3, 2012   –  Dom Ragucci Dementia

“My Dad has been with Rose and I since Wednesday when our power came on. His home is still without power. Spending all this time together gives us a real appreciation of what happens to your mind at 94 years old. He has a difficult time making connections between people and relationships even within his own family. It’s tough to see what time is doing to this vibrant man who could do anything. We are using pictures to try and help him understand. He knows what’s happening to himself and keeps trying to understand but can’t change it. Fortunately, it is not upsetting to him, just confusing. We pray that God will be kind to him in the years he has left.”

[Note; Dom passed away almost exactly 3 years later on Nov 21, 2015 from Dementia.]

Joe Ragucci

One day when my two brothers where young, Mike and Rick were home alone. They were alway rough housing with each other as brother would do. Well, I came home with my father and there was a very large hole in the kitchen wall probably caused by someone being thrown into it. When my father asked what happened, who did it they both said “I don’t know”. And that’s the way it ended. Rather than try and patch the large hole, my Dad just put paneling over it half way up the wall.

On this 4th of July, 2016 I decided to share some memories of this holiday throughout

When I was young the local fireworks were over Carteret Park which was about 1/2 mile from my house.  Sometimes we would walk there to see the fireworks but more likely we would just walk a few blocks to where the homes ended (after the barracks) and watched them across the field.  Once homes were Continue reading →

When I was growing up in Port Reading, summer was the best time  of year. It was a different world then.  I left early every morning to go to the park near my home to play with my friends and to get involved in the many activities planned by young adults hired by Woodbridge Township to keep us busy with arts and crafts, board games, and physical games.   My favorite was playing basketball at the park.

Each summer the park sponsored  several trips (for free) to the major league baseball games in New York – Yankees, Giants, and Dodgers – as well as Philadelphia.  My favorite was when we went to the Polo Grounds because the Giants were my favorite team.   We had poor seats but we always  tried to sneak our way into the better seats which worked many times.

Continue reading →

Dominic Ragucci passed away at age  97 on Nov 21st, 2015. The following homily was given by his son Deacon Joe Ragucci at his funeral Mass: Continue reading →

From Michael Ragucci:

For those of you who knew him my father could be a tad bit stubborn at times and meant what he said…. Well it is still true now. A few years back when he was in his young 80’s he told Tammy and I he didn’t want his age as part of his obit or he would haunt us. Well I take full responsibility for the 97 in the obit but here’s where the fun starts. Continue reading →