Joseph Alfred Ricciardi Sr.

June 16, 1932 - February 13, 2025

With deep gratitude for a life well-lived and with great sadness, we share the passing of Joseph Alfred Ricciardi, Sr., who died surrounded by family, on February 13th, 2025, in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Joseph grew up in Greenwich, CT, as one of six children in an Italian family. His devotion to God, family, and baseball were firm throughout his life. He served as an altar boy at St. Roch's Church and dreamed of playing professional baseball. While that particular dream was not realized, his love of the game never left him. In 2009, Joseph was recognized on the Greenwich Old Timer's Honor Roll for athletic contributions-a testimony of his lifelong commitment to playing sports and helping young people pursue their dreams.

Joseph and his brother, Gerald, worked hard together to build their construction company, Ricciardi Brothers, Inc. The legacy of their company is a great one. Ricciardi Brothers, Inc. operated for over 50 years and provided for many families, while also contributing much to Greenwich's infrastructure, including subdivisions, roads, utilities, stone walls, homesites, landscaping, paving and concrete work.

In addition to building a business, Joseph was committed to serving the community. He was a member of the Representative Town Meeting for over a decade, served as a local and state Sachem for the Improved Order of the Red Men, and spent countless hours collecting for Alzheimer's research.

A humble man, Joseph enjoyed the simple pleasures of his mother's home cooking and chocolate ice cream, a good sandwich and a handful of pistachios, history books and playing golf, Christmas lights and birthdays at Red Lobster. He lived 92 years and had endless stories to tell for each one of them. He shared stories that always seemed to give the listener a leg up in life, a bit of wisdom to make their own path less strenuous. These stories live on in all who were blessed to know him.

Joseph Ricciardi Sr. fought the good fight, he finished the race, and he kept his faith. Joseph was preceded in death by his parents, Carmella (Nellie) Ricciardi, and father, Alfred Ricciardi, his sister, Matilda Mecca, brother William Ricciardi, sister, Lucille Ciccone, and sister, Virginia LaVersa.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Marie Ricciardi, his brother, Gerald Ricciardi, his son, Joseph Ricciardi, Jr. (Carol) and his daughter, Maria Louise Hines (Terry), as well as seven grandchildren, Lindsay (Hadley), Asha (Dave), Scooter (Sam), Abigail (Timothy), Andrew (Alexis), Joy (Jared), and Grace, as well as four great-grandchildren, Mykerson, Leander, June, and Gia.

A memorial service was held Sunday, February 16th, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A private burial will be held at St. Mary's Cemetery in Greenwich, Connecticut.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial scholarship is being established for Greenwich High School students. Donations can be sent to Maria Hines, please email her for address: [email protected]