Recollections of Dominic Ragucci – recorded by Rosalie Ragucci-Cook

My grandfather always talks of his first wife, Rose. He tells that she was always happy and easy-going and never complained, even when she was dying of cancer. She had surgery to remove the cancer and he says she was cut straight across her stomach all the way around to her back. Despite the pain, she still wanted to go out dancing on New Years Eve. He said that nobody at the party knew that she was sick. He knew because the doctors had told him but nobody else could tell that she was so sick. She died 6 months later.

My grandfather says that he has visited her in the cemetery every Sunday for almost 40 years.

Add stories told by Dom on Rose hit by car, always smiling, loved by everyone

Add stories of Grandma, Rose and Pat getting together to share dirty jokes.

Recollections by Ann Nardi Kusklyk (sister), recorded by Joe Ragucci (Sept 2008):: 
Aunt Ann remembers being so afraid of her father.  But her sister Rose wasn’t afraid. When he would turn his back, Rose would salute him with “heil-hitler”.  But he never understood that she was insulting him with this action calling him a tyrant.

Aunt Ann would tell us how, even though she was older, her sister Rose was the one she would follow to go out at night.   She was always afraid because her father was so strict.  But her sister Rose wouldn’t let that stop her.  The sneaked out and, many times when they returned, her father would hit them.  Rose just laughed it off because she wouldn’t let him stop her.

Conversation with Dominic Ragucci – recorded by Joseph Ragucci

Dom always talks to Rose and I about my mother and his first wife Rose.  He rarely talked about her when he was married to Marge.  But when Marge died he felt no restrictions to talk about what he feels.  It is clear that Rose was the love of his life.  He constantly talks about talking to her when things are not going right or he wants help for someone.  For example, when his sister Angelina died last week he told us that the first thing he did was ask Rose to take care of his sister.  He is strong believer that he will meet her when he passes from this world.  And, because of that, he says that he has no fear of dying. 

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