Richard Ricchio

Frank Ricchio, Richard’s father, immigrated to America from Cosenza, Italy and passed through Ellis Island in 1909. Catherine (Costorieri) Ricchio, Richard’s mother, arrived in America from Cosenza through the Port of Boston in 1919. Frank and Catherine met and married in Racine, Wisconsin. Richard was the first born of five children.

During the heart of the Depression; Frank and Catherine took their two children, Richard and Arlene and set off looking for a better life in California. Catherine made the trip expecting her second son, Ronald. The remaining two siblings, La Verne and Rosalie were born later. Along with other close relatives, they settled into East Los Angeles, a thriving Italian community. This is where Frank Ricchio developed and furthered his career as a musician, performer, band leader, and teacher of accordion and piano.

Growing up in California, Richard attended various grade schools and eventually ended up at El Monte High School. His senior year at El Monte High School was cut short due to the beginning of World War II. Richard enlisted in the Coast Guard and was stationed on an ice breaker, the USS East Wind, landing in Iceland, capturing a German weather station and patrolling the North Atlantic. After the war, he went back to El Monte High School to complete his Senior Year.

Richard learned to play the accordion at an early age and through many hours of practice, excelled to the level of professional and teacher, following in his father’s footsteps. After the war, Richard attended The Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles. He also traveled throughout Southern California with his father, performing at social functions and would assist his father teaching accordion and piano and directing the accordion bands.

Between the end of WW II and 1950 Richard truly enjoyed life as a handsome single Italian adult but realized it was time to settle down and meet someone to share the rest of his life with.

Richard met Rebecca Jane Knowlton at a church gathering. Rebecca, the daughter of Virgil and Greta Knowlton, of South El Monte also came to California in the mid 1930’s to find a better life after losing their farm during the Great Depression.

To Richard, Rebecca was his “jewel and the love of his life”, a very beautiful, sweet and loving person. To Rebecca, Richard was very handsome (his looks reminded Rebecca of Tyrone Power), spirited, confident and she fell in love with his accordion playing. He even composed a song just for Rebecca.

The two fell in love, were engaged and married in 1950 at the First Presbyterian Church in El Monte, California. They resided on Lermer Road in rural South El Monte. Richard took a job at Axlesons and was eventually hired at General Dynamics (GD) in Pomona. Rebecca became pregnant with the first of three children, Richard Steven and a few years later Catherine Lynette was born. Since the family was growing, they moved to a bigger house in La Puente where they resided for nearly all of their remaining years. Five years after the move, Valentina Rene was born. Dad and Mom were very happy in their humble abode raising their three wonderful children.

While Richard furthered his career at GD, he continued to teach 30 accordion and piano students a week up through the time of his retirement from GD in 1989. Years after retirement, he got a job at Tower Records working in the Classical Music Department, which he thought was the best job he ever had.

Richard held to the tradition of Sunday afternoon dinners (lovingly prepared by Mom), with family and friends. We were blessed with delicious pasta with a little wine and enjoyed listening to his favorite Italian music such as Giuseppe De Stefano and Franco Corelli. Family was most important to him.

Richard delighted in being with his grandchildren and looked forward to family gatherings. Being with the grandchildren on festive occasions like Christmas Eve, Christmas morning, other major holidays, birthdays, graduations, even playing the tarantella at their weddings was his time to bond with and share part of himself, his wisdom and talents. Before his passing he had the great joy and pleasure of receiving a visit from his first great grandchild.

Over the years Richard would meticulously plan major trips to Italy, New York, Hawaii, Boston, San Francisco and Las Vegas to name a few. He was so well versed in his travel plans that when on vacation with family and friends he could have easily posed as the tour guide. He really loved to travel. In later years the mantle of trip planning was passed on to Tina and Tim Hively who traveled with Dad and Mom, family and friends to Alaska, the Panama Canal, taking a round trip tour of the British Isles, Ireland and Iceland and visiting various Caribbean Islands.

Richard passed away peacefully on July 6, 2013 at the home of Tina and Tim Hively in Riverside, California. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Rebecca, three children, Steve (Darrilyn), Cathy (Grant) and Tina (Tim), six grandchildren, Andy, Kristen (Chris), Gina, Casey (Jillian), Corey Richard and Cameron, and one great grandchild, Joshua Richard.

He will be truly missed by all who knew him.