Joseph Ricceri

Joseph Ricceri

December 31, 1928 – February 5, 2025

Preceded in death by parents, Sebastiano and Nancy Ricceri; brothers, Subby and John; daughter, Nancy (Ricceri) Major; Ryan Vieth, husband of granddaughter Emily.

Survived by wife of 72 years, Lois; son, Joe (Myra); brother, Frank (Bonnie); son-in-law, Mark Major; granddaughters: Laura Ricceri (Amber), Emily Vieth, Sara Major, Lizzie Major (Ross Davis), and Rosie Major; grandson, Adam Ricceri; seven great-grandchildren and two step great-grandchildren.

VIGIL SERVICE: Thursday, February 13, 2025, 7:00 PM with VISITATION from 5:00-7:00PM, West Center Chapel, 7805 West Center Road, Omaha.

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL: Friday, February 14, 2025, 10:30AM, St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 6116 Dodge St., Omaha.

INTERMENT:  Holy Sepulchre Cemetery.

Memorials are suggested to: St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, Creighton Preparatory or Marian High School.

To view live broadcasts of the Vigil Service and Mass, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “Live Cast” button at the top of the home page.

Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler, West Center Chapel, 7805 West Center Road, Omaha, Ne 68124. (402)-391-3900. www.heafeyheafey.com

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Joe was born on the last day of 1928, December 31^st, to proud immigrant parents from Sicily.  They migrated to the U.S. to have a better life and start their family.  Three more boys followed, resulting in a family of four boys. Joe was the oldest and since he was born on New Year’s Eve, he was a little bit spoiled and had an “instant party” every year. Joe and his brothers were not allowed to speak in their mother’s tongue. His mother always made them speak English because they were American.

Flash forward to Joe’s teenage years when the draft came along, and Joe was selected to serve in the Korean war. His mother was devastated that her boy was leaving her to serve his country.

He had only served for ten months when he was called up and sent home to see his ailing mother as she was terminal and not expected to live. He was sent home to say “good-bye” as she passed. Back to the army he went after the funeral, only to be called on again to head home to provide for his family. Joe’s father could not speak much English and his mom’s medical bills were too high for the boys and his dad to overcome. Joe was released from the service to care for and help his family financially.

In between all that he met Lois. When he was waiting to be dispatched back to Korea he wrote to her every day; letters she still holds today. They seemed to be a perfect match if he could only remember her name. It took several months before Joe could remember the name “Lois”.

Joe married Lois when he was 23 and she was 17, a good old farm girl from Webster, South Dakota. It was like she had an instant family of 4 boys, well 3 boys and Joe. They would try endlessly to keep the baby (Frankie) in school but another brother would pull him out to set pins, shoot dice on the side of Sokol Hall, or just run the street.

Joe’s main source of employment was with Union Pacific (UP) Railroad. He was initially hired as a carman, held various positions, and ultimately retired from there. His paycheck would go to pay hospital bills (of his mother) and what was left provided food and shelter for his 3 brothers and Lois. To help make ends meet, Joe would pick up all kinds of side jobs. Carl Salanitro, who ran the Sinclair on 60^th and Ames, would hire him at night for some extra income. Back then there were a lot of temporary layoffs at UP.  While waiting to be called back to work, Joe would do odd jobs so the bills could get paid.

Joe’s dad remarried, which took some pressure off him being the sole provider. But Joe’s family and brothers were so very important to him that he continued to support them financially, emotionally, and spiritually.

Two years after Joe and Lois were married, they welcomed their first child. A baby girl that Joe named after his mother, Nancy. Three years after that they had a baby boy who he insisted on being his namesake, Joe.  That is me writing this recap of his life.

Joe worked hard, but it did not really phase him as he would always have a smile on his face. He would umpire baseball and softball games, work at a school correcting papers, cleaning churches and schools and yes, even snow removal. He would blade the church parking lot, pushing the snow into a pile. He stopped the jeep so abruptly at each end that I would fly to the floor! It was late and I had to be with him because Lois was working nights. When he had a job to be done, he was fully committed to seeing it through.

Joe loved math and was good with numbers. He knew what he needed to retire and still live a comfortable life with his family. They saved and invested, and we did not have to go without.  He provided the best schooling possible. When Lois told Joe she wanted to send us to private schools (Marian and Prep) he would agree and pick up another part-time job to pay for it.

Joe’s passion was baseball, a die-hard fan of the New York Yankees. He and Lois would travel to Kansas City whenever they were playing.  He supported local college basketball, NE Volleyball and the Creighton Bluejays. Of course you must be a husker fan living in Nebraska.  He also liked to see his grandkids play soccer or tennis. Those were not what he would call “normal” sports but nonetheless, he was there and happy to see them play.

After retirement they spent a lot of time with their daughter and her four girls in Colorado, watching their soccer games, traveling with them to Disney World and seeing them grow into adulthood.

He lived a long life (96 years!) and will always be in our minds and our hearts.