Marie Ruth Savaglio, age 86, born October 13, 1937, Kenosha, Wisconsin, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, May 5, 2024, at the Hospice Alliance House in Pleasant Prairie, WI.
She met her husband, Dr. Alessandro Savaglio, at the Holy Rosary Summer Festival in 1956. On September 1, 1958, they were married at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. He preceded her in death on January 21, 2021.
Marie attended schools in Kenosha, WI and graduated from Marquette University Dental Hygiene Program. She started her career as one of the first female dental hygienists in Kenosha. After having a family, she stayed home to raise her seven children. She chaperoned many field trips, choir trips, and served as a Girl Scout Troop Leader. She later returned to work and joined her husband at the dental office caring for their family of patients.
Marie was an active member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church where she served as the Music Director. Marie loved directing the choir for weekly Masses, Christmas Midnight Mass, and for the Annual Parish Festival Mass. She also played the organ and sang for weddings and funerals at the church.
Her passion was her family to whom she provided constant love and support. She loved cooking homemade meals, hosting holiday traditions, visiting her children and grandchildren, and attending their events. One of her favorite hobbies was playing the piano.
She was a wonderful mother and loved being a “Nana” to her grandchildren and “Great-Nana” to her great-grandchildren. Marie said she was “very proud of her children and they were her most important accomplishment.” She made every event special, and everyone felt loved. She will be deeply missed by her family and many wonderful friends.
She is survived by her devoted children, Joan (Dave) Cates, Dr. Al (Nora) Savaglio, Dr. Sue (Rob) Savaglio-Jarvis, Kathy (Greg) Fraid, Mike (Cathy) Savaglio, Anne (Mike) Troka, and Jennifer (Curt) Velvikis.
A proud Nana to Christopher (Eliza) Evans, Andrew (Tracie) Evans, Katie (Dr. Sean) Kelly, Joseph (Mary) Evans, Andrea (Jason) Sauve, Sam (Arielle) Savaglio, Gienna Jarvis, Simone Fraid, Savannah (Tony) Buffolino, Rocky Fraid, Dr. Michael (Genny) Savaglio, Mikayla (Corey) Bartkus, Dr. Alexandra Savaglio, and Michael, Matteo, Marco and Maximo Troka.
A blessed great-grandmother to Jude, Lucy and Gabriel Evans, Alison and Juliet Sauve, Presley and Beckham Buffolino, Stella and baby Savaglio on the way. Marie is also survived by many caring and loving nieces/nephews, great nieces/nephews and cousins.
Marie was preceded in death by her husband, parents, Elizabeth and Emil Ruffalo, her brother Frank Ruffalo, in-laws, Alex Savaglio, Richetta (Conforti) Savaglio, three sisters-in-law, Rosalie (Gabriel) Ruffolo, Yolanda (Arnold) Hennig, and Adriana Savaglio, and nephew Joseph (Linda) Ruffolo.
The family would like to extend a special thank you to Dr. Neil Shepler, all of the Priests and Deacons at Mt. Carmel Catholic Church (Kenosha) and St. Anne’s Catholic Church (Pleasant Prairie) for providing compassionate care.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday, May 13, 2024, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church at 1:00 p.m. Entombment will follow at All Saints Mausoleum. A visitation will be held on May 13, 2024, at Proko Funeral Home from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers, a donation in memory of Marie may be made to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church or St. Anne’s Catholic Church.
