HAMMONTON—Rosario “Ross” Samuel Restuccio, 74, who started South Jersey Well Drilling Co., a family business that his obituary said he has been operating for 40 years, died on January 5.
Restuccio was born October 9, 1946 to Frank and Catherine (Occhiato) Restuccio. He resided in Hammonton for many years before moving the family farm compound in neighboring Mullica Twp.
He served in the U.S. Air Force from 1966 to 1969 where he learned the plumbing trade and went on to start his own plumbing business.
Ross was larger than life and known as a “legend” by his many friends and family. According to his obituary, he could often be found fishing for tuna or anything that would bite, near his summer home in Cape May, hunting with his boys, grandchildren and buddies, cooking in the “shack” for his army of friends and riding his golf cart around the family farm.
He enjoyed listening to his oldest granddaughter’s music, watching his younger granddaughters ride horses and watching his grandsons play baseball.
His obituary said Restuccio was notorious for giving everyone orders and calling them by names he felt more fitting than their own (yo buck); oddly enough everyone loved him for it.
Restuccio’s longtime friend Frank Ingemi remembered him when interviewed by The Gazette on January 10.
“He always believed he was a legend, and in a lot of ways he was,” Ingemi said.
Ingemi owned horses with Restuccio—the first horse was owned by a group of men that included Restuccio and Ingemi.
“The horse’s name was Mr. Denim. We ran him at Atlantic City Race Course. He won the first race he ever ran,” Ingemi said.
Restuccio often sought input from others before making decisions about different matters, Ingemi recalled, but he said Restuccio would always make up his own mind.
“When it came to horses or anything else, he would ask five people about it, but in the end, he would do what he wanted to do,” Ingemi said.
Ingemi said Phil Aristone was Restuccio’s horse trainer. He was committed to raising horses off and on throughout his life, Ingemi said.
“He [Restuccio] had his own farm on Reading Avenue with horses for a time … We probably talked three or four times a week about horses in recent years,” Ingemi said.
One of his horses, Singing Sarah, was named for his granddaughter, Ingemi recalled.
Ingemi said Restuccio lived his life to the fullest.
“He was a good friend. He loved his family, he loved his kids, his grandkids, hunting, fishing and horses. He lived the way he wanted to live,” Ingemi said.
Restuccio dearly loved his wife, Sally. He could endlessly be heard calling out her name for the littlest things or just to be sure she was nearby and she enjoyed every minute of it, his obituary said.
He is survived by his loving wife of 52 years, Sally V. Restuccio (nee Chalk), along with two sons, Ross Samuel Jr. (Sharon) Restuccio of Mullica Twp., Frank (Cara) Restuccio of Mullica Twp.; grandchildren Sarah, Ross III, and Stephen Restuccio, Gracie, Frankie, Rylee, and Cody Restuccio; brother, Domenic (Debbie) and nieces, Sheri and Ashley Restuccio. He is predeceased by his parents, Frank and Catherine Restuccio.
Family and friends are invited to attend his viewing Friday, January 15 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Marinella Funeral Home, 102 N. Third St., Hammonton. Services and burial will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ross Restuccio’s name to Stephen Siller Tunnel To Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, N.Y. 10306.
Arrangements were made by Marinella Funeral Home.