Dorothy Mae Ruggiero
OBITUARY
Born on October 28, 1935 in Santa Barbara CA to Frank and Reva Matthews.
Raised in Bakersfield California along with her four siblings, Dorothy graduated from Kern County High School (Later to become Bakersfield High School) in 1953.
In the mid-sixties Dorothy moved to Long Beach, CA to work in the Aerospace industry. The highlight of Dorothy’s career was crafting parts for several Space Shuttle missions while working at Rockwell International.
While living in Long Beach, Dorothy met the love of her life, Joe Ruggiero. Together they enjoyed an active social life, golf, and family. After retiring Dorothy became an avid gardener and artist. She enjoyed bowling, world travel, and became a dedicated hockey fan; holding season tickets for her beloved Los Angeles Kings for many years.
Dorothy is remembered for her outgoing personality and colorful story telling. She enjoyed driving Chevrolet cars and trucks, always in purple if available. She was an engaging conversationalist and loved hamburgers and pizza.
Dorothy passed away of natural causes on November 14, 2025 in Long Beach, CA.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her beloved husband Joseph (Joe) Ruggerio, brother Frank (Buck) Matthews, sister Marie Reichert, daughter Reva (Kelly) Nickelson, son Craig Kendall, and grandson Jason Hess.
She is survived by her sister Francie Brandon, sister Robbie Matthews, stepdaughter Jeanette (Richard) Starling, grandchildren Kelly (Jeremy) Elsasser, Erika (Tim) Pittenger, Jade (Robert) Badger, Cindy (Bill) Elder, and Kara Kinsey. Great Grandchildren include Joseph, Elizabeth, Sophia, Idris, Beck, Bode, and Clementine.
A graveside service will be held at 1:00 PM; Tuesday, December 9 at All Souls Cemetery, 4400 Cherry Ave., Long Beach, CA 90807