EULOGY FOR RON
Dear Karen, Family and Friends, 
I’m Gary Melillo and Ron, my wife Jan, and I have been friends for 45 years.  He and I had similar backgrounds; both of Italian descent, Ron’s family from Sicily, mine from Campagna; both raised in traditional Italian families with a great appreciation for the food and culture.  Things that come to mind about Ron, include:

He Was An Enigma

The trope name “enigma,” originates from a statement made by Winston Churchill in 1939 about what role The Soviet Union might play in World War II.
 Quote: “I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma, but perhaps there is a key…”

I met Ron in 1978 at ADP’s payroll customer service/call center in Clifton, NJ.  Job was to take 100+ calls a day from NYC and NJ clients to field questions and concerns.  Very stressful job, especially during quarter and year-end.  Client files were strewn all over the place, and the reps were running around crazed, trying to put out fires.  There sat Ron, perfectly calm, clean desk, off the phone. Legs crossed, smoking a cigarette, watching the activity.  
I saw this and thought, “WHO IS THIS GUY?”

Many people have tried to figure Ron out, but Jan and I learned that behind his tough exterior,  he had a heart of gold.

Ron Had a Great Loyalty to Friends

 He helped me return to ADP in 1983, when I wasn’t happy with my job.  A former boss called me at Ron’s suggestion.  I helped Ron get his job in Rockville, when he moved here in 1988.  
He called me every week to check on me when I was at an extremely low point in my life. Yes, Ron was a true friend! 

He always kept in touch with Jan and me when we moved to North Carolina and visited us often.  Charlotte was devoid of Italian food, so Ron would bring us goodies from NJ, packed in his suitcase.  Later, he told us his underwear smelled like provolone for a month!!

Ron Was A Creature of Habit

Buttermilk 5
At work in NJ, Ron often times wanted breakfast for lunch. So we would go to Perkins Pancake Palace, where he always ordered the “Buttermilk 5.”  Recently, I reconnected with the co-worker who went with us. She asked if I kept in touch with Ron and I told her he was in MD. After 40 years, she still remembered the “Buttermilk 5.”

Wall Street
We were both promoted to Account Executives for ADP’s largest clients in Manhattan in the Theater district and Wall Street.  I took the subway to my appointments, but not Ron.  He always insisted on driving his car down the West Side Highway and double parked on Wall Street!  WHO DOES THAT?  I don’t know why his car was never booted or towed, but I bet he got tons of tickets — and probably expensed them to the company!

Ravioli 
Fast forward to MD and Ron often tried to get me to drive with him to the North Jersey Ravioli Company in Garfield — his childhood haunt — to pick up dozens and dozens of raviolis.  That’s FOUR hours one way!  I would tell him, “Ron, I know a place in Baltimore where we can get good raviolis,” but he would have none of that. 
“It’s not the same,” he would say.

Ron Had a Precise / Detailed Personality

Model Making
He got into model making and donated a model of the USS Arizona to the American Legion near Karen’s Dad's house.  He did very intricate work and was very proud of his accomplishments. 

House Renovations
In 1982, Ron bought an older home in NJ.  He stripped all of the Chestnut wood molding and doors in the entire house!  He also wanted to strip the white-painted brick fireplace, where he planned to take the whole thing apart, turn the bricks around and rebuild it!  WHO DOES THAT?  Instead, he used a chemical to remove the paint and picked out each brick crevice with toothpicks!  I stopped by and he opened the door, eyes glassy with fumes pouring out of the door.  He looked like he was on drugs! 

Pictures on ADP Bulletin Board
At work, Ron took down his bulletin board and used a ruler to measure and place each of his personal pictures precisely, so they were perfectly spaced, in the correct order, and totally level.  The entire team noticed this and collectively said, “WHO DOES THAT?” So when he left for a client visit, SOMEONE moved all his pictures out of order and off kilter.  When he returned, boy was he pissed off. “WHO DID THIS?’’ he demanded.  No one confessed to the crime!

In Conclusion

As Jan and I, and others learned over time, the key to Ron as, “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma,” is this.  Behind the tough-guy facade, he had a heart of gold, loved his family, and always showed the utmost loyalty and kindness to his friends.

“Riposa in pace, Ron, amico mio. Addio per ora!”

Which in Italian means, 
“Rest in peace, Ron, my friend. Goodbye for now!”

With love,
Gary and Jan Melillo

We are thinking about you during these difficult times. May your memories of Ron bring you comfort and joy in the days to come.

I was a Civil War reenactor, often marching alongside Ron. He always had the cleanest uniform and rifle in the ranks, and the most wry sense of humor. It was clear that there was great love in the Riotto household. Injuries caused him to retire from the hobby, but we were blessed to have a spectator version of Ron visit the 7th MD in camp a few years ago and the laughter was so easy. So sad to hear of his passing. My prayers are with his family.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Ronald Riotto

28 juillet 1951 – 15 août 2023

DeVol Funeral Home

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