Robert J. Riccio Obituary

Robert (Bob) Riccio, age 93, passed away peacefully on April 19, 2026. He was predeceased by his wife of 66 years, Mary (Salvato) Riccio.

Born on May 7, 1932, in Norwalk, Connecticut, Robert was the son of the late Salvatore and Marjorie (Cleary) Riccio. He grew up in South Norwalk and later became a longtime resident of Wilton. He was also predeceased by his brothers, Richard Riccio and Arthur Riccio, and his sister, Marjorie Riccio.

Robert attended St. Joseph Elementary School in South Norwalk and graduated from Norwalk High School in 1950. Immediately following graduation, he enlisted in the United States Navy, proudly serving as a Korean War veteran. He was assigned to the destroyer USS Douglas L. Fox (DD 779) out of Norfolk, Virginia, and served on active duty in Korea, the Sea of Japan, and the Philippines. His world tour concluded via the Panama and Suez Canals. In 1954, he was honorably discharged as a First Class Radarman.

In 1956, Robert earned an associate degree in electronic engineering from Danbury State Teachers College. A lifelong learner, he went on to earn additional certifications in electronic drafting and computer applications.

Robert spent 30 years as an engineer at PerkinElmer, where he worked on projects including the NASA Mercury Program, Skylab, Hubble Space Telescope, and Micralign microlithography equipment. He later became a consultant for Silicon Valley Group.

In his youth, Robert spent much of his time on family owned islands in Long Island Sound off the coast of Norwalk. He learned woodworking in the South Norwalk boatyards, where a lifelong passion took root. Drafting and building wooden model ships became his greatest joy. He was also an avid reader of maritime literature and a gifted historian.

Robert was a member of the Sons & Daughters of Italy in Norwalk and a volunteer with the Norwalk Seaport Association.

He will be deeply missed by his son, Bob Riccio (Jane); his daughter, Lynda Riccio Egan (Brian); his grandchildren, Kelly Egan Peters (Jim), Devan Egan, and Yuhe "Happy" Cai (Weiying); and his great grandchildren, Maura Peters, Braeden Peters, and Maeve Peters. He was also loved by his sisters in law, Carol (Masi) Salvato and Joan (Andronaco) Salvato, as well as his many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Respects may be paid to the family on Monday, April 27, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Matthew's Church in Norwalk. A Memorial Mass will follow at 10:00 a.m., with burial afterward at St. John's Cemetery, Norwalk.

Flowers may be sent to Magner's Funeral Home. Donations in Robert's memory may be made to the Norwalk Seaport Association.