Obituary: Novello “Noel” E. Ruggiero, M.D, 96, of Watertown

Obituary courtesy of Hickox Funeral Home

WATERTOWN - Novello “Noel” E. Ruggiero, M.D., of Fort Pierce, Fla., and Watertown, died peacefully on Friday, Oct. 30th at age 96 surrounded by family who cherished him. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Betty J. (Phillips) Ruggiero.

Novello was born on Sept. 23rd, 1924 in Waterbury, CT. He was a son of M. Alphonso Ruggiero and Giovannina (Iorio) Ruggiero. He grew up in Waterbury, graduating from Crosby High School. He graduated from the University of Vermont and its Medical School, receiving his medical degree in 1952. Dr. Ruggiero completed his residency in general surgery at Waterbury Hospital. He practiced medicine for years in the Waterbury area before entering a residency program in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Duke University. Upon completion of his residency, he practiced in Washington, D.C., southeastern Massachusetts, and the Waterbury/Torrington area until his retirement.

Dr. Ruggiero served in the U.S. Air Force in France and Germany from 1955 – 1957. At home, he served in many capacities in Watertown government, including town council member, acting Town Manager, and Director of Hospice. He was most proud of his role as Director of Hospice in Watertown.

Dr. Ruggiero was devoted to family and leaves behind his three daughters: Noël (Ruggiero) Breg and her husband, Bill, of Watertown; Alisa Ruggiero and her husband, Tony Rinaldo of Acton, MA; Kristin Ruggiero and her husband, Walter Dolan of Sandy Hook. He also leaves five grandchildren and one great-grandchild: Jonathan Morgan and wife and son, Meghan and Mason; Nicholas Morgan; Christina Morgan; Nathaniel Breg; and Alexander Breg. He leaves a sister, Anita Miller, of Waterbury, and sisters-in-law, Barbara (Joan) Ruggiero, of Woodbridge, Rita Ruggiero of Naugatuck, Virginia Rogers of New Jersey, Judy Councilman (husband, Harold) of North Carolina and Nancy Fields (husband, Phillip) of Virginia, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was pre-deceased by his siblings, Geraldine, Joseph, John, Louis, and Gloria Ruggiero.

Due to Covid, a memorial service will be held at a later date still to be determined.

From his daughters:
Our father meant the world to us, and to our children. He was a very special person who had very high standards, but was warm and had a great sense of humor. He imparted a multitude of life lessons to each of us (to the point that we jokingly numbered his "lectures"!), but he also taught us many practicalities of life - how to iron shirts, select cuts of meat at the grocery store, cook a meal, and paint a house among a few of them. At the same time, you could find him sitting in an inflatable wading pool or playing "ride the bus" in the driveway to have some fun with his grandchildren. He touched many people in his work and in his everyday life, and we feel extremely lucky that he was our father. We will miss him everyday, but will cherish his memory.