Richard J. Fugagli, 83, of Erie, passed away Thursday, April 15, 2021.
He was born in Meadville on August 28, 1937, a son of the late William and Mary (Ross) Fugagli.
Dick attended Meadville High School and graduated from Hadley School of the Blind. He was a landlord in the Rocky Grove area and a group leader with Franklin Steel for 33 years retiring in 1989. He was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church, the Rocky Grove Lions Club, and volunteer firefighter for Rocky Grove Volunteer Fire Department. Dick was active in the municipality of the borough of Sugar Creek. He never let his blindness get in the way of his accomplishments. Dick had an entrepreneurial spirit, using his trade skill knowledge to help others. He was an avid investor, pizza, and bread maker. His meatball recipe is a family heirloom. During his retirement, Dick became a life coach and mentor to the blind through the Lion’s Club. Dick was preceded in death by his Leader Dogs, Duchess and Harry, whom he loved dearly.
Survivors include his wife, Joyce (Palmer) Fugagli; one daughter, Brenda Anderson and her husband, Tom, of Dallas, TX; two sons, Richard Fugagli II, of Salem, SC and Kenneth Fugagli and his wife, Tracey, of Erie; nine grandchildren, Samantha, Kenny, Michelle, Joe, Erin, Taylor, Caitlin, Matthew, and Sarah; his siblings, William Fugagli (Kay), Michael Picuri, Charlie Brown, Diane Witherow, Jane Sadowski, Judith Fugagli, and Lena Burkholder; and many nieces and nephews.
Friends are invited to call at St. Boniface Catholic Church on Tuesday morning from 10:30 a.m. until the time of Memorial Mass there at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow in Mount of Olives Cemetery. All current CDC guidelines will be adhered to.
Funeral arrangements were made by the Russell C. Schmidt & Son Funeral Home Inc., 5000 Wattsburg Rd., Erie, 16504.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Leader Dogs for the Blind – www.leaderdog.org.
