Saverio Ruggiero

Saverio "Sam" Ruggiero, 76, of Cape Girardeau died Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2013, at Southeast Hospital.

He was born Oct. 26, 1937 in Fontanarosa, Italy, to Roberto and Filomena Biancardo Ruggiero. He and Josephine Maria Vitiello were married Dec. 17, 1960, in Bronx, N.Y.

Sam served in the U.S. Army from 1961 to 1965.

He and his family moved to Cape Girardeau in 1986. He was a member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church. He was a master tailor and worked for Thorngate 17 years as a quality supervisor.

Survivors include his wife, Josephine Ruggiero of Cape Girardeau; three daughters, Gianna Ruggiero-Morle (Giovanni Morle) of Stanford, Conn., Roberta Boykin (Patrick) of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Anna Ruggiero of Atlanta; a brother, Gaetano Ruggiero of Torino, Italy; two sisters, Gina Ruggiero of Torino and Mary Consalvo of Brooklyn, N.Y.; and two grandchildren, Justin Boykin and Austin Boykin of Colorado Springs.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother and two sisters.

Memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Cape Girardeau, with the Rev. David Hulshof officiating.

Interment will be at noon Thursday at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Bloomfield. Full military honors will be provided by the Missouri Honors Team.

Memorial contributions may be given to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.

Online condolences may be made at fordandsonsfuneralhome.com.