Elderly Couple Killed By House Fire Mourned In Morris County

MORRIS TOWNSHIP, NJ — The Morris County community is mourning the death of Robert and Gemma Ricciardi, whose home was destroyed in a fatal fire earlier this month.

The couple will be remembered in a joint memorial mass at St. Thomas More Roman Catholic Church in Morris Township on Saturday at 10:30 a.m., according to their published obituary.

The obituary stated that Robert Ricciardi, 87, and Gemma Ricciardi, 85, grew up in Newark and had been married for more than 60 years. Both were members of the Ferrari Club of North America and enjoyed traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Robert, known to many as Bob or Bobby, was the executive vice president of the family-owned paint company, Ricciardi Brothers. He and his brother Walter helped their father's 1929 business grow to 47 locations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Gemma was a revered member of the Morristown Welcome Wagon committee. She, like Bobby, belonged to the Ferrari Club of North America. She enjoyed cooking gourmet dishes, was interested in fashion and clothing, enjoyed entertaining family and friends at their home and had a strong interest in home decorating.

"Our family is deeply saddened to lose these two beautiful souls, but know they are together during the greatest journey there is with God," reads their obituary.

The Ricciardis were killed when their home on Normandy Heights Road caught fire early on Aug. 5. Two bodies were recovered from the ruins, but authorities have yet to confirm the victims' identities because autopsy results are pending.

The obituary mentioned the Ricciardis' passion for a museum down the street from their home and asked community members to consider donating in their honor.

Donors can make contributions online or by mail to the Morris Museum Development Office, 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown, NJ 07960.

The couple is survived by their son, Robert Ricciardi Jr., along with many other family members and friends.

A joint memorial mass will be held at St. Thomas More Church in Morristown on Saturday, Aug. 27 at 10:30 a.m., followed by the entombment at Holy Rood Cemetery in Morristown.