Anthony Thomas Ruscio, beloved son, brother, uncle, great-uncle and friend, passed away peacefully Dec. 27. He was 88.
Born in Springfield, Mass., on April 13, 1932, Tony was the second of Frank and Angelina (Delapa) Ruscio’s three children. A graduate of Classical High School and American International College in Springfield, he served honorably in the United States Army from 1952 to 1954.
Tony later earned his Master’s Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling at Boston University and had a 25-year career with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Boston.
Tony was a skilled musician who played the double bass in school orchestras and local bands. He had a life-long interest in classical music, recently noting that Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major was “always a favorite of mine.”
Toto, as he was known to family, was a devoted reader of The New York Times and enjoyed cooking, dining out and traveling to New Jersey several times a year to visit with longtime friends. Tony was predeceased by his parents and brother, Joseph Ruscio, M.D. He is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Mary Anna (Ruscio) and Mark Milone; nieces Barbara Ruscio and Bianca (Ruscio) Kaplanek; nephew Dante Ruscio; great-nieces Kelsey (Kaplanek) Truncale and Melanie Kaplanek; and numerous cousins in the greater Springfield area.
A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 519 Longmeadow Street, Longmeadow on Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 11:00 AM