Enrico B. Pagliarulo Obituary (1953

September 22, 1953 - May 01, 2019 Enrico B. Pagliarulo, 65, of Philadelphia, passed away suddenly but peacefully on May 1, 2019. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Geri, his children, Rae (Rachel) and Rick (Enrico), and countless family members, friends, and colleagues. Enrico - Rick, to all who knew him - grew up in the Port Richmond section of the city, graduating from North Catholic High School in 1970. After a car accident that sent him and his injured shoulder to a physical therapist's office on Allegheny Avenue, he met the love of his life, then-receptionist Geri Inker - or as she was simply known in those days, Gypsy. Rick quickly became a mainstay in the Inker household, providing quippy Italian flavor to a secular Jewish family. Rick and Geri married in that very house in December 1979. Rick made his living as a bouncer, a brick layer, and later, a fledgling computer programmer in a Navy ship. His ferocious autodidactism and hunger for knowledge gave him the fuel he needed to advance, over the course of his 40 year career with the U.S. Government, to an Oracle Database Administrator with one of the highest security clearances in the Department of Defense. While his job offered no shortage of frustrations and red tape, he always spoke the truth (with plenty of cursing), worked tirelessly, and did his absolute best every single day. Rick's real legacy lies in the joy and laughter he provided to his family. A master storyteller, he always had a dirty or inappropriate joke to share, and spun a tale better than anyone. He felt immense love for his family and friends, and showered it upon them every chance he got. Even through difficult times, he remained generous and giving of everything he had. Rick was many things - a teacher, a poet, a builder, a learner, a talker, a laugher, a husband, a friend, a father, an uncle, a brother-in-law, a colleague, a sponsor - but he was greater than the sum of his parts. He was a force of nature. A planet of laughter and sorrow. A universe of emotion and prose. A galaxy of heartbreak and impossible beauty. He built around him a family, a career, and a life that he was proud of, and the negative space left by his departure will be felt forever. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to Rick's favorite charities, St. Jude's Children's Hospital, and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). A Memorial Gathering will be held on Saturday May 4th at 12 noon at John F. Fluehr & Sons Funeral Home. Words of Remembrance 2:00 pm. Come with a story, a joke, or a tale about Rick and the unforgettable memories he helped create. Come prepared to celebrate his life as only his friends and family could - with lots and lots of laughter.