Salvatore Ricci, age 82 years, of Hillsborough Township, NJ, entered into eternal rest on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro.

He was born in the Bronx, NY, and raised in East Orange and the surrounding suburbs by the late Michael and Mary (DeLeo) Ricci.  He was a graduate of East Orange High School and had a long career as an Insurance Sales Representative primarily with Prudential.  He started his life with Irene in Elizabeth and then moved to Rahway before settling in Hillsborough in 1970.  He was a parishioner of Mary Mother of God in Hillsborough and then Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton in Three Bridges.

Sal didn’t have what most would consider an easy life, but he always made the best of things and did everything in his power for his family and those he loved – and there were many that fell in that category.  Most especially, he adored his beloved Irene – to say he was a devoted husband only begins to describe his love for her.  Until the end, he called her his ‘girlfriend’ and there was nothing he wanted more than to be with his wife and be sure she was alright.  They shared a beautiful 60 year marriage together and raised three children: Sal, Sheryl and Serena.

Sal enjoyed fishing, playing cards with friends, tennis, following Eagles football, Star Trek, socializing, and dining out.  Mostly he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends to celebrate a birthday, holiday or just a night out.  He was a larger than life teddy bear full of love and was instantly ready to spread it around – always ready to give a big bear hug and a ton of  “I love you’s” along with a big ear to ear smile.   That smile was contagious and even if you were a new acquaintance of his, it was hard not to come to like and love him when he flashed you that smile and told a little joke.

Sal was predeceased by his brother, Michael, his parents and his mother and father-in law.

He will be deeply missed by his wife, Irene; his loving children, Sal and his wife, Jennifer Ricci, Sheryl and her husband, Nick Pellitta, and Serena Collado; his sisters, Katherine Reiser and her husband, James and Ann Nyborg and her husband, Hank;  his 9 grandchildren, Allie Heller and her husband, Rob, Nicholas Pellitta, Jillian Ricci, Julia Collado, David Pellitta, Olivia Ricci, Gabrielle Ricci, Alec Collado, and Michael Collado; a great grandchild, Delainey Heller; his feline companions, Tarzan and Jane; several extended family members; and many dear friends.

Salvatore will lie in repose on Sunday, September 11, 2022, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Wright & Ford Family Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 38 State Highway 31, Flemington, NJ. There will be an additional period of visitation on Monday, September 12, 2022, from 10:00-10:30 a.m. at the funeral home. Everyone is respectfully requested to wear a face covering during the gathering at the funeral home.

A Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Rev. Thomas J. Serafin, KCHS, will take place Monday, September 12, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 105 Summer Street, Three Bridges, NJ.

Interment will follow mass in the family plot at St. Magdalen Cemetery, North Main Street, Flemington, NJ, and to which all are welcome.

Realizing that some may be unable to attend due to the pandemic, the morning prayer service at the funeral home on Monday morning, followed by the Mass and graveside service, will be live-streamed, with the stream being active starting at 10:00 a.m. on Monday. To watch, please click HERE and kindly ensure you do not have a pop-up blocker enabled (if you are having issues with clicking above, please follow this link: https://vimeo.com/event/2413805). Please note that the same link will be used for all three events, and you may need to refresh your browser between events depending on the technology you are using. 

You are encouraged to visit Salvatore’s permanent life celebration site at www.wrightfamily.com to light a candle of hope, leave messages of condolence, share words of comfort and recollection, and post photographs of his life.

Memorial contributions in Sal’s honor may be made to the Diabetes Education Center at RWJ Somerset, 110 Rehill Avenue, Somerville, NJ 08876.

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Wright & Ford, your local, family owned & operated “Life Celebration Home”

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