Josephine Ricci

Portland, ME- Josephine S. Ricci, 87, of Portland, ME, passed away on October 9, 2025, following a lengthy illness. She was born in Portland, on July 24, 1938, a daughter of Sebato and Carmela (Bellucci) Spizzuoco, both of whom were from Naples, Italy. Jo grew up in the Little Italy neighborhood of Portland where she embraced her Italian heritage. She attended Portland schools and graduated from Portland High School, Class of 1956.

Following high school, she worked at Casco Bank in downtown Portland. She met Francesco (Chickie) Ricci in 1960 who had recently arrived from Sulmona, Italy. They later married on June 30, 1962 at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Portland. She became a homemaker raising three children and tending to her family’s needs for a number of years. As the children grew older she began working at E.C. Jordan Engineering Co. for many years.

In her later life, she and cherished friends from long ago reconnected, getting together for lunch dates and senior community events. She loved spending time with her grandchildren cooking Italian food and cookies, passing recipes and traditions down. She enjoyed her many trips to Italy to visit and connect with long lost relatives whom she had never met before.

She was pre-deceased by her husband; siblings, Pauline Colello, Anna Ferrante, Biaso (Benny) Spizzuoco, Giovanna (Joann) Orlando and Mary Colucci. She is survived by her children, Domenico Ricci and his wife Catherina Ramos Ricci of Meridian, Idaho, Carmela Gagnon and husband John of Portland, Joseph Ricci and his wife Lauren of Gray; four grandchildren, Alexandra Fagone-Brown and husband Ryan, Michael Fagone and fiancée Anna Costello, Francesca Ricci and Sofia Ricci; three great- grandchildren, Oliver Fagone, Bowen Brown and Penelope Fagone.

The family would like to thank the staff at Avita of Stroudwater and Compassus Hospice for their loving care.

Visiting hours will be held from 5-7 pm on Thursday, October 16, 2025, at Jones, Rich & Barnes Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St. Portland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated at 10 am on Friday, October 17, at St. Peter's Roman Catholic Church, 72 Federal St., Portland. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery in South Portland.

Please visit www.jonesrichandbarnes.com to sign Josephine’s online guest book.