OBITUARY

Joseph Ragusa, 93, dies

Longtime East Rockaway resident, barber

Posted

Joseph Ragusa, an icon in the East Rockaway community for more than 60 years, died peacefully on August 18 from natural causes — leaving a void in the community of family and friends. He will be sorely missed.

Ragusa, Italian-American immigrant, was born in Limina, Sicily on November 11, 1921, and made his way to America at the age of 29, with his new bride, Josephine, in search of greater opportunities.

Though Josie had an American citizen status because of her father’s citizenship, they both made a commitment to learn the English language in one year — or they would return to Italy.

Applying himself with a trade that he learned in his native country, Joseph found work as a barber when they settled in Astoria, Queens in 1950. In 1955 Joe met Joe Costerina, who owned a barbershop at 464 Ocean Ave. in East Rockaway. With Costerina retiring, Joe had found what he was looking for and moved himself, his wife, Josie, and their daughter to “the country” to take over Costerina’s business.

Within eight years, three more children followed and over time, the couple’s family grew to include seven grandchildren and one great grandchild.

Ragusa loved to garden, work on cars, tend to his tenants, travel, spend time at their country house in Hudson, NY, but most of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family.

Ragusa is survived by his wife, Josephine; children Maria Burfield (Jason), Carmela Ragusa, Philip Ragusa (April), Gina Piskin (Ray); grandchildren: Jessica, Alexander, Joseph, Brandon, Jake, Jaclyn, and Dylan; and a great-grandchild, Juliet.