Fred J. Ricci

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Fred Joseph Ricci, who left us on July 5, 2025, at the age of 86. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend and will be dearly missed by all who knew him.

Fred J. Ricci was born on July 1, 1939, in Bronx, NY to Fred and Mary Ricci. He grew up in the Bronx with the nickname “Skipper” working from a young age as a shoeshine boy and other odd jobs around the Italian neighborhood. Fred graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School Class of 1957 and was elected Class President his senior year. He played center on a youth football team after high school and before starting college helping lead the team to a city-wide championship. After initially struggling as a student, Fred began applying himself and attended West Chester Community College on probation and graduating with honors earning a two-year degree. He took off another year to save enough money to leave New York to attend Michigan State University Honors College earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

After college Fred worked at Bell Labs in Homdel, NJ, and eventual settled in Little Silver, NJ teaching in the Electrical Engineering Department at Monmouth College in West Long Branch, NJ, while earning a master’s degree from Newark School of Engineering (now NJIT). He loved to tell the story of how he rented a home and rented out rooms to make enough money to buy a house where he moved with his wife Mary Jo Guadagno in 1965 before his son Ferdinand Joseph Ricci was born in 1966. Fred initially pursued a Ph.D. at Columbia University in New York City that was hampered by the student riots of the late 60’s. He decided to again move away from New York area to Northern Virginia in the early 1969 to complete his Ph.D. program at Catholic University while working at the Mitre in national defense. Fred earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering and continued his career at the Defense Communications Agency now known as Defense Information Systems Agency in the United States Department of Defense (DoD). He left DCA to join the private sector eventually becoming a partner at the telecommunications consulting firm RAMCOR. Fred spent the balance of his career working on defense and telecommunications for various companies before returning to his first love teaching at Virginia Tech Engineering Extension in Northern Virgina and George Mason University. He was a beloved professor, especially by his international students because he took extra time to ensure they understood the material despite language barriers.

Fred was committed to life-long learning, education and information-sharing throughout his life. A voracious reader and author, he authored and co-authored a handful of books including U. S. Military Communications: A C3I Force Multiplier, Analog/logic Computer Programming and

Simulation, and Personal Communications Systems (PCS) Applications. He also authored dozens of technical papers resulting in speaking engagements at conferences around the world primary with the IEEE. He was a volunteer leader at the IEEE serving as editor of the IEEE magazine, the Board of Directors and eventually he was elected Chair of the organization. Fred’s knowledge of communications and speaking engagements led to information-sharing exchanges to the former Soviet Union (USSR) and Japan, as well as dozens of other countries. These passions continued into retirement as he traveled around the world on nearly 20 cruises with his wife Mary Jo speaking about a wide range of topics from technology to finance.

Fred was always interested and active in politics serving various roles within the Democratic Party in Northern Virginia even once launching a self-funded campaign for state delegate. He was also an active volunteer helping to restore a local two-room schoolhouse in Oakton, VA that became the Vale School-Community House. He loved dancing, swimming and playing tennis, which he did into his 80’s.

Fred will be remembered not only for his intellect and professional achievements but for his kindness, generosity, and the care he took with every student, colleague, and friend.

Fred J. Ricci is survived by his wife of 60 years Mary Jo Ricci, and his two sons and wives Ferdinand and Kimberley Ricci, and Dante and Susan Ricci, as well as his five grandchildren Stephen, Quintin, Elena, Aidan and Isabella, and his brother Ken Ricci. He was preceded in death by his parents Fred and Mary Ricci.

A memorial service, funeral and burial will be held at 1 pm, Tuesday, July 15 followed by a reception at the Vale United Methodist Church 11528 Vale Rd, Oakton, VA 22124

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Fred J. Ricci’s memory. https://www.lls.org/ways-to-give