Phyllis E.J. Ruggiero
...beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother of Tewksbury; 83
TEWKSBURY - Phyllis E.J. (Webb) Ruggiero, age 83, a former employee of Andover's Phillips Academy, died Wednesday, July 7, at the Lahey Clinic Medical center in Burlington. She was the beloved wife of Michael Ruggiero, with whom she had celebrated a 64th wedding anniversary this past September 17th.
She was born in England, June 22, 1927, the daughter of the late Nathaniel and Mabel (Simmonds) Webb. She met her American born husband during his WWII Army posting in England while preparing for the D-Day invasion of Normandy. They married in 1945, and she emigrated to the U.S. at the end of his Army career in 1946.
They moved to Andover where they raised a family, and eventually retired to the Eagles Landing community in Tewksbury in 1999. She was a communicant of St. Augustine's as a resident of Andover, and most recently, St. William's in Tewksbury.
She worked full time as a wife and mother, and part time as a secretary at Andover's Phillips Academy. She enjoyed reading and ‘in her day’ it was common for her to read up to three books or novels per week.
Besides her husband, she is survived by two daughters, Jacqueline Berube and her husband Richard of Maine, and Janet Burgess of Portland, Maine; a son, Michael C. Ruggiero and his wife Deborah of Westford; six grandchildren, Jayne Berube, Jared Berube, Morris Burgess, Rachael Burgess, Kaitlyn Ruggiero and Emily Ruggiero; one great grandson Kyle Berube; and several nieces and nephews.
She was also sister of the late Frederick "Jack" Webb.
Her Funeral Mass was celebrated July 9, in St. William's Church, Tewksbury. Burial followed at Tewksbury Cemetery. Memorials to Boys Town, Donor Services, P.O. Box 6000, Boys Town, NE 68010, phone 1800 217 3700, or www.boystown.org, will be