Dad & Joe moved out of our home.. (Fall 1963)

While I was in high school my father and I moved out of our home for a short period of time during the fall of 1963. (I know the date because Kennedy was assassinated while this was happening.) My father and step-mother Marge were fighting continuously and it came to the point where my Dad thought it was unsafe for us to remain (when Marge threatened him with a kitchen knife).   At the time my brothers were between 4 and 6 years old and didn’t understand what was happening.  So I remember my Dad coming to Woodbridge High (the start of my junior year) and taking me out.  My cousin Dolores and Warren welcomed us into their home with open arms so that’s where we stayed.   My brothers remained at home with Marge.

It  was a difficult time for me and my Dad.  I really missed by brothers and they missed me and their Dad.   I don’t remember how long we stayed with Dolores but it was a month if not longer.     My Dad then decided that we would move in with my grandmother and Aunt Mary who lived upstairs from my home.   I remember my brothers coming upstairs (when Marge allowed them to come) and getting to be together.  It was a difficult time.  This continued for quite some time (several months) before we finally returned to our downstairs home.

But things were never the same.  Before this happened Marge would not let me go my cousin’s house down the street and in other ways “controlled” me.  And I let her to keep the peace.  That ended and I began to spend a lot more time with my Ragucci cousins and aunts and uncles.  In fact it  eventually led to me meeting my future wife Rose through Tony.    God works in strange and mysterious ways….

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How we first met ..

Rose and Joe first met on October 30th, 1965.  Rose was 16 and a junior in High School. Joe was 18 and a freshman in College.   Rose was having a “house-warming” party to celebrate her moving into the upstairs rooms in her home in Colonia.  Her uncle had moved back to Long Island.   Rose invited Joe’s cousin Tony who was her friend but Tony did not drive so he asked his cousin Joe to drive him and stay at the party.   That’s how and where Joe and Rose met – at Rose’s house in Colonia.

Rose’s mother was upset that a “college” kid was coming to the party but was surprised when he turned out to be a skinny quiet Joe.

They started dating shortly after that.  Here is the first photo taken at a New Years Eve party later that year.  The photo was taken by Tony Ragucci….

joe_rose_1965

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Giuseppe Ricucci – Early death

(Recollection of Dominic Ragucci recorded by Joseph)
My father Giuseppe Ricucci died at an early age – (39) in 1923.  He was working on the Railroad under terrible conditions and became sick which turned to pneumonia.   This resulted in his death at home.  His son, Dominic (age 5)  remembers his mother upstairs with his father while his siblings Angelina (age 6), Mary (age 3) and Tony (age 1) were downstairs.   He remembers his mother coming downstairs and saying his father died.  He was told that he now was the “man of the house” at 5 years old.

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Disney Vacation Remembrances

As we are about to leave on another Disney World vacation,  it brought up the need to add stories about “memorable” disney vacations like:

  • First visit – “do you think we’ll ever come back?”
    Our first visit to Disney World was in 1972 when we took a vacation touring Florida.  Disney World was in the middle of nowhere and the only hotels where those on the monorail – nothing outside the park.  So we stayed in Orlando which had the closest hotels.  Only the Magic Kingdom existed and we spent a day there.  As we were leaving Rose commented “Do you think we’ll ever come back?”  Well, that was an understatement as we are a frequent visitor now!
  • Rosalie & John Engagement (and the dropped ring in garage)
  • John in the wheelchair going on Disney Cruise –
  • Disney visits with Mom
  • Disney visit with Rosalie’s college friends
  • Ben and the pool slide
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60’s Remembrances

Rose & I went to a Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul, and Mary) concert last night and it brought back  lots of memories of the 60’s when I was in High School and College.   Here are some stories/remembrances worth describing:

  • Marge and going shopping by bicycle. – see below
  • Atlantic City Steel Pier – and lots of live shows – see below
  • NYC Plays – see below
  • Summer trips to the Jersey Shore
  • Saturday evenings in the Tony Ragucci basement…
  • what  else?

Continue reading

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Anthony Ragucci – Funeral Eulogy (Ronny)

Anthony Ragucci Sr. passed away on Feb 28th, 2011. The following are words said by his son Ronny at the Funeral Mass:

Through the years we learn of great men.  Some are skilled carpenters, plumbers, roofers, electricans and masons.  Others can build entire homes from the foundation up.  Some men train to be auto mechanics, fix appliances and repair televisions.  Others have minds capable of teaching themselves computer programming. Continue reading

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Anthony Ragucci – Funeral Eulogy (Linda)

Anthony Ragucci Sr. passed away on Feb 28th, 2011. The following are words said by his daughter Linda at the Funeral Mass:

First I have to say that I rewrote this at least 5 times.  Father, I don’t know how you  do this every week.

I want to say the best things about Dad, but there is too much to say and difficult to keep it short,  but I will.  Dad was a do it all man.  Continue reading

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