Obituary of Biagio G. Ruggiero

Biagio (Ben) Ruggiero, of East Windsor, passed away on September 30, 2024.

Born in Chiusano di San Domenico, Italy on August 8, 1936 to the late Emilio Ruggiero and Elvira DeAngelis, Biagio spent over a decade studying and serving the poor at the Collegio dei Missionari del Preziosissimo Sangue in Albano, Italy before leaving religious life to move to America in 1959.

Ben’s natural-born talent for working with his hands led him to easily find opportunities in New York City, first performing delicate fabric repair at a fine arts upholstery store and later making mechanical equipment at a machinist’s shop before moving to central New Jersey, where he lived for over 60 years.

In East Windsor, Ben worked for Mettler Instruments making precision equipment, then for RCA Astro as a satellite model-maker before discovering his true gift as a leather craftsman and opening Ben’s Shoe Repair in Hightstown in 1973, where he remained in business until his retirement in 2020.

Ben was preceded in death by his cherished wife of 47 years, Kathleen. Ben’s sister, Giuseppina Ruggiero; his brother, Domenico Ruggiero; and his nephews, Emilio Ruggiero and Tonino Cortesi, all of Italy, also predeceased him.

He was beloved by his children, Bernice Wiles of Hagerstown, MD, Estella Ruggiero (Don Gilpin) of East Windsor, Celeste (Pete) Gray of Robbinsville, and Biagio (Erin) Ruggiero, of Pittsburgh, PA and his grandchildren, Liam and Nora Gray, Henry Gilpin, and Benjamin and Eliza Ruggiero. He will forever be remembered by his nephews, Felice and Elvio Ruggiero of Montefalcione, Italy; his brother-in-law, Joseph (Geraldine) Higham of Hamden, CT; his sister-in-law, Margaret Hryniuk of Garner, NC; his cousin, Benedetto Ruggiero of Chiusano, Italy; along with his other dear nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, October 11, 2024, at St. David the King R.C. Church, 1 New Village Road, Princeton Junction, NJ 08550.

Interment will follow at the Old Tennent Cemetery, Manalapan, NJ.

In lieu of flowers, in honor of Ben, please offer help to a neighbor and be kind to one another. 

Arrangements are under the direction of Simplicity Funeral and Cremation Services at Glackin Chapel, 136 Morrison Ave., Hightstown, NJ.