Giuseppina Maria Ricciardone

Giuseppina Maria (Gallo) Ricciardone, our dearly loved matriarch, lived for 97 years. She died on April 5, 2023, at her home in Plantsville, CT. She was born on September 25, 1925, in the small town of Teggiano, Italy, the daughter of the late Alessandro Gallo and Maria Cotignola.

Giuseppina met her husband Giovanni Ricciardone when she was in her early twenties. Giovanni was on his work route, collecting milk from nearby farms, when he first saw Giuseppina as he passed by her home. They were married in Teggiano, Italy, in 1948. They had two sons, Demetrio “Dino” and Alexander “Al.” They later moved to Salerno, Italy. 

In 1967, Giuseppina and her family immigrated to the United States. They moved to Hartford, CT, and Giuseppina worked at the Royal Typewriter Company. The family later settled in Southington, CT, where they purchased the Hi-Way Restaurant. Giuseppina was widowed only three months later, in 1972. In 1975, Giuseppina and her two sons renamed their restaurant Giovanni’s, in honor of Giuseppina’s deceased husband. Everyone at the restaurant loved her Italian cooking and called her Mama.

Giuseppina retired at age 60 and was an avid gardener until her mid-90s. Plants thrived under her care, including fig trees, tomatoes, and lush grape vines. She was a devout Catholic, praying the Rosary every day. Sundays were spent attending Mass at St. Thomas Church and then gathering with family at her home, sharing stories over espresso and her homemade ricotta cookies. Up until the start of the Coronavirus pandemic, she was still helping to make meatballs at her son Al’s restaurant, Friends Cafe. Everyone there knew that Josephine made the meatballs.

In addition to her parents, Giuseppina was predeceased by her loving sisters Rosa, Adele, and Valentina Gallo. Surviving Mrs. Ricciardone are her devoted sons Demetrio and Alexander Ricciardone; five grandchildren, Claudia, John, Diana, Alex, and Robyn; seven great-grandchildren Luke, Siena, Andrew, Isabella, Lily, Ava, and Alexander; and many nieces and nephews, in both Italy and the U.S.A.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Giuseppina’s memory may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105. (www.Stjude.org).

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 11, 2023 from the Plantsville Funeral Home, 975 S. Main St., Plantsville with an 11:00 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Aloysius Church, 254 Burritt St., Plantsville. A livestream of  the Funeral Mass will be available by following this link https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/4859411385. Burial will follow in Mount Saint Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. Calling hours will be held from 4-7 p.m. on Monday, April 10, 2023 at the Plantsville Funeral Home. For online condolences and directions, please visit www.plantsvillefuneralhome.com