Joseph A. Ruggiero

Joseph A. Ruggiero, age 86 of Oakland, died peacefully at home on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. He had lived in N. Haledon for forty-two years before moving to Oakland in 2015.

Joe was a Traveling Operator for PSE&G, working out of their Clifton garage for more than forty years. It was a particularly dangerous job, working with extremely high voltages, and he was especially proud to have made it through his entire career without a mistake!

Joe grew up in Paterson and graduated from Eastside High School in 1952.  He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at just seventeen years old, and served aboard the USS Rockwall, an attack transport. He was fortunate to spend some time aboard ship on the Mediterranean Sea, visiting Italy during his tour, and he was honorably discharged in 1955. Upon his return home, he played semi-pro baseball with the Sheber’s baseball team in the North Jersey and Bergen County baseball league. Some of his most memorable and fun games were played at the Sing Sing State Prison in Upstate New York, providing some excitement and entertainment for the inmates. He remained an avid baseball fan throughout his lifetime, rooting for the YANKEES year after year.

Joe was a great dancer and during the 1950’s it was common for the local churches to host social dances. It was at the Holy Trinity Church dance in Passaic that he met Erika Gloss. They hit it off and began dancing together regularly at some of the local ballrooms and dance halls around Passaic and Garfield, such as the Belmont Ballroom. Joe eventually proposed to Erika and they were married on October 12, 1968 in N. Haledon.  After a honeymoon to the Amish Country of Pennsylvania, they settled in Passaic. In 1973, they moved to N. Haledon where they remained until 2015. Joe loved making homemade pizza and his family recalls how delicious his pizzas were.  He earned the title of “pizza man” with high honors. He also made excellent homemade wine using his family’s century-old grape press, and his father’s unique combination of grapes. Each bottle was consistently smooth and delicious!  During his retirement, Joe enjoyed meeting his buddies for coffee at the coffee shop on High Mountain Rd. in N. Haledon.

If you knew Joe, then you understood that he had a lifelong addiction…to golf! He played nearly every day, without exaggeration, and he would have played more often if he could have found a way.  He spent countless days at the Passaic County Golf Course in Wayne, earning tournament trophies along the way, and his coveted “hole-in-one.” He enjoyed the game so much that he even went golfing with a friend during his honeymoon! He could drive the heck out of the ball, and simply loved the game. He was devastated when doctors diagnosed him with Parkinson’s Disease, and he eventually had to stop playing.  He really missed the game. Throughout the years, Joe had also enjoyed rabbit hunting with his faithful beagle “Bonnie,” who he nicknamed “Shrimpy” because she was so small. Bonnie was a natural hunter and they never failed to come home a rabbit!  Joe was also passionate about his grandchildren; Tori and Joseph. He was particularly happy to share a birthday with his granddaughter, Tori, and this meant a lot to him.  Joe loved his family dearly and they will all miss him dearly.

Joe is survived by his beloved wife, Erika of Oakland, by his two daughters; Brenda Lyons and her husband Brian of Richmond, Texas, and Sally DaPassano and her husband Joe of Oakland, two grandchildren; Victoria “Tori” Lyons and Joseph E. Lyons, both of Richmond, Texas, a sister; Joanne Sabol and her husband Dominic of Pequannock and their family, and Dr. James Ruggiero and his wife Judy of Sussex, NJ.

Joe suffered from Parkinson’s Disease and donations in his memory would be appreciated to the Michael J. Fox Foundation where they are dedicated to finding a cure.  You may donate online at michaeljfox.org, or mail a donation to: “Donation Processing, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741-5014”