Curious, imaginative, sensitive, paternal, Renaissance man
The ordinary was made remarkable through Steve Ruggiero. Jars filled with water and food coloring and stacked on a windowsill were kaleidoscopic light shows. They were also a chance to explore color theory with his daughter, Gabbie. Cardinals chirping outside the kitchen windows were cinematic characters with elaborate back stories. He could find a lesson or story in the smallest moments.
Maybe that’s what made Steve a talented storyteller. He knew how to paint a picture with words, and his keen observation skills and memory allowed him to describe Gabbie’s late grandparents so vividly she felt she knew them. Or perhaps it was because he loved and felt deeply. No one knew that better than Gabbie. She was his whole world, and he was infinitely proud of her.
Naturally, Steve took to writing. He found an online writing forum where he could exercise his imagination and make friends. Steve’s curiosity and drive for self-improvement made him pursue even more hobbies, a true Renaissance man. He shared an enthusiasm for photography and model airplanes with his father, Ray. Steve also played competitive tennis. He became a USPTA Certified Professional, and since he loved sharing knowledge as much as learning, he assisted with free kids’ tennis clinics. To top it all off, Steve was a skilled chef who loved to cook with and for others. He attended the Kirkwood Community College culinary program and applied his knowledge at home, improving recipes and making elaborate holiday meals for Gabbie. He tried new recipes and improvised in the kitchen, but he also loved serving up a tradition, like his family’s pasta sauce.
Steve’s professional portfolio was as diverse as his leisure activities. He served in the Air Force. Then, after over a decade of dedication, earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Iowa. He worked as a legal assistant, house painter, restaurant employee, helped at his parents’ vacuum repair shop, and even started a hauling business.
Steve endeavored to brighten other’s days with small kindnesses by conversing with strangers. As he was fluent in Spanish, he enjoyed doing so in two languages. Gabbie found a restaurant receipt from the night of his passing. She called them to see if she could find any information. The server that answered the phone knew Steve. Saddened by his death, she explained how the staff at the restaurant enjoyed his company in recent months and how he brought a little more happiness to their shifts, a sentiment that Steve would have appreciated.
He lived a full life, but it was not without the struggles of 41 years of battling a substance use disorder. It led him to quit many of his hobbies and hurt those he loved most, but his undergraduate graduation photo remains in his daughter’s office. She works to improve public systems for people with substance use disorders, and his picture serves as a reminder that if he could create beautiful things under harsh conditions, so can she.
Steve’s daughter, Gabbie Ruggiero, provided the information for this narrative.
November 21, 1957-January 24, 2015–Age 57
Portrait Artist: Jeremy Hebbel
Narrative Writer: Willow Kline
