Sarah Cotoia Ruggiero

Sarah Ruggiero, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2026. Born in Panni, Italy to Alfonso and Anna (Bianco) Cotoia, Sarah immigrated to the United States with her mother and brother, Anthony, in 1938. There she joined her father and brothers in New Canaan. She attended Center School, Saxe Junior High School, and New Canaan High School where she participated in cheerleading, field hockey, and basketball. She met her husband, Anthony Ruggiero, in 1951. They were married in 1954 and remained in New Canaan for her lifetime. After high school she was employed for 25 years at the A.H. Emery Company as a bookkeeper and went on to work at New Canaan Travel and New Canaan Bank and Trust. She loved to work! After she retired, she was blessed with becoming a surrogate grandmother to the Engel children: Charlotte, Lillian, Rosie, and Max. They brought her much joy and comfort when her own grandchildren moved to the Midwest. She was overjoyed to be able to attend Charlotte’s wedding. Mema, as she was known to her grandchildren, was the best possible grandmother to Sarah, Marina, and Elena. She was never one to drive on a highway until her first grandchild was born. Equipped with only a candy bar, she drove three and a half hours to Middleton, Massachusetts alone! If you knew her, you know how monumental that was for her. She attended all of their dance recitals, graduations, and special moments in both Massachusetts and Minnesota. Even while living a plane ride away, her grandchildren remained attached and devoted to her. Once we finally returned to New England, the blessing of being together once again in body, not just spirit, was a gift. Sarah was predeceased by her husband and four siblings. She is survived by her children, MaryAnn Gabriel and Anthony Jr., her grandchildren Sarah (Anthony) Aspley, Marina (Sharaf) Gabriel, and Elena (AJ) Cabrera and her 8 great-grandchildren: Cecilia, Gianna, Leonardo, Roscoe, Angelica, Maryanne, David, and Apollonia. She will be dearly missed by all. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the New Canaan EMS or to St. Jude Children’s Hospital. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 7th at 10am at St. Aloysius Church, 21 Cherry Street, New Canaan, CT. Interment will be private. If you wish to make a remembrance for the family, you may sign the family guestbook at www.bosakfuneralhome.com or www.facebook.com/bosakfuneralhome .

Sarah Cotoia Ruggiero

February 6, 1933 - March 21, 2026