John Ricottilli Jr.

It is with the deepest of sadness that we announce the passing of Major General John Ricottilli Jr. (“John” or “General Rick”,) on January 18, 2026.

General Rick, as he was most well-known, was born in Providence, RI on January 08, 1933 and recently celebrated his 93rd birthday. He grew up in the Eagle Park section of Providence, later moving to North Providence. Upon his retirement, he moved to Boca Raton, Florida and later Sarasota, Florida.

In 1950, John met the love of his life, Mary Hearne and they wed in June of 1953. John and Mary were married for 67 years until Mary’s passing in November of 2020.

John & Mary have two children, Lorna (Ricottilli) Leduc (and her husband Charlie) and Colonel John D. Ricottilli (and his wife Lucia), along with two grandchildren, Jonathan Ricottilli (and his wife Lauren) and Alexandra Ricottilli.

General Rick was predeceased by his parents Giovanni “John” and Antonetta (Nardacci) Ricottilli and his four sisters Lucia “Lucy” Massarone, Francesca “Fran” Scotti, Maria “Mary” Ise, and Evelyn Charette.

General Rick was a graduate of:

• La Salle Academy

• Providence College, undergraduate

• University of Rhode Island, MBA

• US Army Command and General College

• US Army War College

• Johnson and Wales University, Doctorate

Upon graduation from Providence College, General Rick was commissioned in the United States Army through the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in 1954 and embarked on his military career serving with the Army Audit Agency for two years.

Upon completing his active-duty requirement, General Rick continued his military service in the Army Reserve, 76 Division Training and the 94th Army Reserve Command (ARCOM).

He began his civilian career working at US Rubber in Providence, RI, as an accountant (1957-1964) and later moved on to Taco Manufacturing in Cranston, RI (1964 to 2002) reaching the position of Senior Vice President of Administration. John retired in 2002 after over 36 years of service with Taco.

General Rick’s illustrative and fast rising military career took him through the ranks as a Company Commander, Battalion S-4, Battalion Commander, Brigade Commander, Assistant Division Commander 76th Division, and Commander of the 76th Division Training unit. Upon completion of his Division Command, he was named the Commander of the 94th Army Regional Command in New England. General Rick retired from the US Army in 1989, with 35 years of service to our country.

Throughout his well-established and dedicated Military and civilian careers, he attributed one key factor to his success, his wife Mary. John has attested that his success was their success and was only achieved with the support of his loving wife and family.

John was involved with many civilian organizations as a way to remain active in organizations that contribute and impact business and social communities throughout New England, Rhode Island and abroad serving in leadership capacities across numerous organizations, such as:

• The Red Cross, RI Chapter, Past Chairman

• The Federal Hill House, Part President and Treasurer

• The Cranston Executive Roundtable, Chairman

• The Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce

• The Cranston Chamber of Commerce

• The U.S. Chamber of Commerce

• The Business Executive Roundtable

• The John and Happy White Foundation

• The San Bernardo Society, Past President

• The Boca Barwood Condominium Improvement Association, Past President

• The Knights of Columbus

• The Providence College Alumni Association

• The March of Dimes, RI Chapter

When General Rick retired from the military, he was also involved with numerous military organizations which allowed him to maintain a “pulse” on the current military structure, strength, and training of our military locally in Rhode Island, New England and nationally. Notably:

• Civilian Aid to the Secretary of the Army, State Chairman

• RI Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, State Chairman

• The Reserve Officers Association, RI Chapter, Past President

• The Association of the United States Army, Past President

• The Retired Military Association

• The Military Order of Foreign Wars, Past President

• AMVETS, Post Commander, National Finance Officer

John also had an additional career he managed along with his family, his civilian occupation and his military commitment. He was a musician, who learned to play the clarinet at age of 7. As a teenager he began to play with a band at events at a local Providence café which blossomed to a 45-year career playing local weddings, dinner dances and many other social events with the Tommy Rotondo Orchestra and The Drew Cochran Orchestra. John’s passion for music and composureship expanded over the years as he also learned to master two additional woodwind instruments, the tenor saxophone and the flute.

Amongst the monumental achievements he accomplished in his civilian and military careers, music had the strongest impact on John’s life. As a teenager, John would play at a local radio station on Saturday evenings with his band where various young musicians would play two to three songs live on the air. It was there that he met a beautiful young lady by the name of Mary Hearne who would also sing at the radio station. They began to date and soon were inseparable. Their relationship flourished and they were married in 1953 and started their family in 1955.

John had an intense love and devotion to his wife Mary, his children, grandchildren, his mother and father, sisters, their husbands and his nieces and nephews. Along with all the friends he made through his civilian career, military career, and music career, he touched so many lives making enormous memories for all who knew and interacted with him.

John was devout to his Christian faith and a parishioner of St. Pius V Church in Providence, Our Lady of Lourdes in Boca Raton and Our Lady Queen of Martyrs in Sarasota Fl.

John will be interned on Friday, June 26, 2026, at 1:30 pm at the Sarasota National Veterans Cemetery, with full military honors. The address is 9810 State Road 72, Clark Road, Interstate 75, exit 205, and head east. A reception to follow at the home of Lorna and Charlie Leduc, 489 Magellan Drive, Sarasota, FL 34243.