Angelo Teodoro Lofruscio Jr.

February 26th, 1940 - August 9th, 2019

Angel Teodoro “Ted” Lofruscio passed away in his home in Mesa, Arizona on Friday, August 9th, 2019, at the age of 79.

Ted was born on February 26th, 1940 to parents Angel Lofruscio Sr. and Blanca Pincay in the Santa Prisca district of Quito, Ecuador. He had three older siblings—David, Edith, and Carlos—and two younger siblings—Sonia and Ernesto.

Starting at the age of 16, Ted played basketball at the high school and college levels and received much recognition in local and national newspapers. When he was 18, articles described him (in Spanish) as “performing in great shape” and that he was “1.88 meters tall (6’2”), but expected to keep growing more.” In May 1960, he won an award for his basketball achievements from the Ecuadorian Intercollegiate Championship of Basketball organized by the Ministry of Public Education. Another article highlighted Ted as a world traveller on his way to New York, writing, “the prominent basketball player, Mr. Angel Lofruscio, who, after devoting himself as the first figure of college basketball on the Mejia team that won several titles, will be part of the Pichincha Selected and also the University Sports League.” In February 1961, he was invited by the National Technical Commission of Basketball to become a member of the Ecuador National Basketball Team with an invitation to take part in the South American Championship in Rio de Janeiro. He loved to tell the story of the time his National team played against the Globetrotters.

Ted moved to New York City the following year and met the woman who would quickly and permanently become the love of his life, Patricia Ana Thomson. In a book written for one of their granddaughters, Patricia wrote that she and Ted were “dancing at the Latin Quarter Night Club in New York City to the tune of ‘Poincianna’ when he said, ‘Let’s get married.’” This happened on Christmas of 1962 after a five-month courtship. The two married on May 30th, 1963 in New Rochelle, New York and honeymooned in the Poconos in Pennsylvania for the weekend. Pat said her most vivid memory of the wedding was her unshakeable “happiness and positive feelings for a long, wonderful marriage.” Her feelings held true, as Ted and Pat were married for 51 years, until she passed away in August 2014. Those five decades brought them three children, a cross-country move to Arizona, and a lifetime of shared travels, love, and deep curiosity for the world they lived in.

Ted’s career transitioned from basketball in South America to accounting and sales in the United States. He worked for Hallmark and American Greetings, and owned his own Hallmark store in the ‘70s in New York. In his senior years, he enjoyed road trips and traveling the United States with his wife, painting and creating other forms of art, taking photographs, reading crime novels, watching movies and sports, and frequently visiting with family. He is most remembered by all for his charm, his sense of humor, his unique accent, and the warm, special twinkle in his eyes.

Ted was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia “Pat”; his brothers David and Carlos; his sister Edith Lofruscio de Serrano and her husband Lautaro; and his mother and father. He is survived by his brother Ernesto and his sister Sonia; children Patricia and Cary Neff, Sylvia and Jerry Heath, and Christopher and Amiee Lofruscio; his grandchildren Bronson (Francesca) Neff, Breanna Neff, Kelsey Williams, Shelby (Tommy) Cavanagh, Brandon (Meghan) Heath, Corbin (Kali) Heath; great-grandson Brixton Cavanagh; and numerous extended family members in Quito and Cuenca in Ecuador. Members of his extended family include: Magdalena, David, Fabio, Silvia, Liliana, Maria Rosa, Luis, Fabian, Patricia, Cecilia, Monica, Luigi, Tatiana, Mario, Paola, Alejandro, Diego, Diana, Amparo, Angelo, and Daniela.

A service of Mariposa Gardens Funeral Care.