Christopher S. Ruisi

Christopher S. Ruisi, 70,  passed away suddenly and peacefully at his home on the morning of September 4, 2019.   He is survived by his devoted wife of 47 years, Paula Marie (Sclafani) Ruisi, and his three loving children Christopher and his wife Chinda,  Stephen and his wife Mary, and Andrew and his wife Gina as well as his eight cherished grandchildren, Jonah, Olivia, Bennett, Sophia, Alexa, Christian, Allison and Alayna and his dog  Toby.   He is predeceased by his parents and his loving golden retrievers, Casey and Riley.

He was born in Brooklyn, New York to Lawrence and Rose Ruisi. After graduating from St. Francis College, he ultimately was hired at US Life where he climbed the corporate ladder to rise from an assistant in the department of personnel to become the President and COO of the multi-billionaire company.  After leaving the corporate world, Chris re-invented himself as a successful personal business coach. Using a “tough love “ approach, he shared his wealth of real life and business experiences with numerous clients to help them reach their personal and professional goals. Chris also published several books geared towards helping others succeed in their personal and business ventures and authored a weekly web based flier filled with common sense pearls. He was a prolific speaker who could captivate an audience with his quick humor and down to earth, easy to understand, talking points. For this reason, he was a highly respected and frequently sought after leader of his local business community.

Chris epitomized the “American dream” as he achieved incredible success through a combination of hard work, dedication, and personal integrity and then graciously shared the fruits of his labor with his family and friends. He was able to enjoy cruising and offshore fishing aboard several sport fishing yachts and jokingly lamented on several “mid life crises” that often resulted in the purchase of a new Corvette. Despite all of his achievements and “material” riches, he remained humble and never forgot his roots as a little boy from Brooklyn. A “road warrior”, he travelled the world in style with his wife but was happiest visiting his three children and many grandchildren. He will be remembered for his tremendous generosity and willingness to help others in need. He was always willing to go “the extra mile” to do the right thing and through his myriad of charitable activities and professional ventures, touched the lives of countless individuals and families.

Chris’ family was the light of his life and his greatest and most lasting accomplishment. He considered himself to have been blessed to have married Paula to whom he was a devoted and loving husband. He considered himself to be so fortunate to have been able to have seen and done everything together with her. Most important, he considered himself very lucky to have raised three little boys into successful men and then watch their families grow.

Fatherhood was Chris’ greatest passion and until the moment of his death, he remained committed to “nurturing the physical, mental, spiritual, and professional well being” of his three sons. He always made time for his children. Work never got in the way of coaching Little League, watching cross country, track and figure skating events, vacations and fishing trips and trips to various colleges. Much to his sons’ chagrin, his final driving test was infinitely harder than the one administered by the DMV.  Even as his sons grew older, Chris was always available to provide guidance WHENEVER OR WHEREVER it was needed. For these reasons, he was also cherished by his children’s friends.

Chris was a second father to his three daughter-in-laws. He adored his eight grandchildren and was thrilled to share in each of their individual milestones and accomplishments. Whether it was an extra visit from the “tooth fairy” or a new little toy for no special reason, a long ride or plane trip to watch a graduation or little league game, or a special offshore fishing trip, Papa could always be counted on to bring out a smile on his grandchild’s face - Paula and he would literally travel the entire country for weeks at a time to make sure that they kept up with the lives of their children and grandchildren. Undoubtedly, one of Chris’ finest moments was this past summer where he and Paula were able to vacation together with all of their children and grandchildren in Myrtle Beach.

In conclusion, Chris was loved by many and he will be deeply missed by his friends and especially his family. He truly lived life to the fullest and was an absolute CLASS ACT in all facets of his life. He was an excellent role model, especially for his three sons to whom he leaves behind enormous shoes to fill.

Family and friends are invited to visit on Saturday, September 7, 2019 from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, Sunday, September 8, 2019 from 2:00 to 4:00 and  6:00 to 8:00 PM and Monday, September  9, 2019 from 8:00 to 8:30 AM at the Shore Point Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 3269 State Highway/Route 35 North, Hazlet, New Jersey 07730.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered on Monday morning, September 9, 2019 at 9:15 AM at St. Catharine R.C. Church, 108 Middletown Road, Holmdel, New Jersey 07733.  Entombment to follow at Holmdel Cemetery Mausoleum 900 Holmdel Road, Holmdel, New Jersey 07733. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St Jude's Children's Hospital in Christopher's loving memory.  For information, directions, or to send condolences to the family, please visit, www.shorepointfh.com.

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