Pauline Riggio

Pauline Riggio, age 90, of Wayne passed away peacefully on Tuesday, October 12, 2021 while receiving the loving care of her family.

Pauline was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and was the only child to Augustine and Lucile Gentile.  As a young lady, Pauline attended high school in Brooklyn and graduated with the class of 1949.  Pauline found work quickly following her high school graduation at a local car service station where she was employed as a bookkeeper. Pauline worked there for several years in the early 1950’s.  During that time she would attend public dances at the Roseland Ballroom located on West 52nd Street in New York City, as well as the Palladium Ballroom on Broadway.  While dancing one night, she found herself being “chased” around the dancefloor by a handsome young man named Jack Riggio.  Jack was persistent in seeking her out and the two got together for a date to the movies and some ice cream afterwards.  Jack and Pauline hit it off great and started dating.  If there ever was a case of “love at first sight,” this was it.  Only four or five months later on September 8, 1957, Jack and Pauline were husband and wife.

Jack and Pauline settled and remained in Brooklyn for just over 10 years after getting married.  During that time they welcomed the births of their two children Joann and Joseph. Shortly after becoming a mother, Pauline decided she would be take on the task of being a full time homemaker.  This was Pauline’s true calling and where she genuinely flourished.  Pauline was a devoted mom and wife to her children and husband for many years.  In 1968 Pauline and her family moved to Wayne where they raised their children until June of 2021 when she and Jack moved to Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains.

Not long after Pauline’s children left school, she decided that she would get back to the workplace.  Again, Pauline found work quickly at Capital Lighting in Fairfield where she worked in Customer Service.  Pauline was employed there for about three or four years when she then accepted a position at Ricoh Corporation in Fairfield.  There, Pauline was employed as a Customer Service Representative.  She spent the next ten years working for the Ricoh Corporation until retiring in 1993.

Pauline was an avid bowler and played in local women’s and mixed leagues in her hometown of Wayne.  She also enjoyed playing Bingo with her friends and family at the Firehouse in Wayne, St Gerard’s RC Church in Paterson, and the Wayne PAL.
Another of Pauline’s favorite past times was shopping.  Pauline loved to shop for just about anything, but her favorite shopping sprees were for clothes.  She was a quiet lady and a pleasant person to be around.  Always kind to everyone that she met and made it a point to make people feel comfortable while they were with her.  She and her family cherished their yearly family vacations to Wildwood Crest and their trips to Las Vegas to visit Pauline’s mom, Lucile that lived there.  While in Vegas, Pauline never passed up the opportunity to try her luck at the nickel slots.  

Aside from all of Pauline’s talents, hobbies, or interests, her greatest passion was for her family.  Nothing in the world meant more to Pauline than spending quality time with her family.  She and jack treasured sixty-four years of loving and loyal marriage together.  In March of this year, tragedy struck Pauline and her family’s lives when her only son Joseph passed away suddenly and unexpectedly.

Pauline was truly a special person who touched the lives of many people and will be missed by everyone that knew her.

Pauline is survived by her husband Jack Riggio of Pompton Plains, one daughter Joann D’Ura and her husband Glenn of Wayne, and two nephews John Riggio of Hopatcong, and Jason Riggio and his wife Christine of Bloomingdale.  She was predeceased by his son Joseph Riggio earlier this year.

Donations in Pauline’s name may be made to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105-9959.