Frank and Josephine Ruggirello on their wedding day, September 26, 1953, with Frank Ruggirello's aunt and uncle. The photo was found in a donated book at Sterling Heights Public Library. Photo / the Washington Post
Frank and Josephine Ruggirello on their wedding day, September 26, 1953, with Frank Ruggirello's aunt and uncle. The photo was found in a donated book at Sterling Heights Public Library. Photo / the Washington Post
On her first day volunteering at a public library in Sterling Heights, Michigan, Helen Poniatowski was flipping through a donated book when something unusual caught her eye: a timeworn wedding photo tucked between the pages.
“I thought, ‘Oh, what a shame. Here’s this nice wedding photograph and we don’t knowanything about it,’ ” said Poniatowski, 87, who, with other volunteers, checks donated books for copyright details and forgotten items.
“People leave things in them,” she explained.
She was so taken by the photo – showing a bride and groom, as well as two wedding guests – that she couldn’t recall which book it had come from. On the back of the photo, she saw the handwritten names “Frank & Josephine Ruggirello”.
In the hope of returning the photo to a family member, Poniatowski passed it to her colleague, who brought it to the Sterling Heights Public Library’s administration office. Staff got to work tracking down the Ruggirello family.
The handwritten names on the back of the photo. Photo / The Washington Post
“Wedding photographs are so meaningful, and we just thought it was worth a try to reunite it with its rightful owner,” said Anneliese White, public relations and programmes co-ordinator at the library.
White posted the photo on the library’s Facebook page.
“We found this beautiful wedding photo tucked inside a book donated to our Used, But Sterling Bookstore this past Saturday,” the library posted on June 3. “Now, we’re on a mission to reunite it with its rightful family.”
“Do you recognise the happy couple or know who this memory might belong to?” the post continued. “Help us give this story the happy ending it deserves.”
The used-book store raises $40,000 to $50,000 each year to support library programming and other items, including a mobile library.
Within a few hours of the post, Sarah Ruggirello – the granddaughter of the bride and groom – was tagged in the Facebook post by a childhood friend who noticed their shared last name.
“As soon as I looked at the picture, I recognised my grandma and grandpa,” said Ruggirello, 36. “I was completely stunned.”
Frank and Josephine Ruggirello on their wedding day. Photo / The Washington Post
Her grandparents – Frank and Josephine Ruggirello – were both first-generation Sicilian Americans.
They got married in Detroit on September 26, 1953. Over their 67-year marriage, they had five children, nine grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Frank died in 2020, Josephine in 2023.
“They were so proud of their Sicilian heritage and family traditions,” Ruggirello said. “They were such a huge presence in my life, and they valued family and togetherness above all.”
Frank and Josephine Ruggirello, centre, with their children and grandchildren. Photo / the Washington Post
Ruggirello said her family has felt a void since losing its matriarch and patriarch.
“We miss them so much, and it was just so cool and out of the blue to have this reminder of them,” said Ruggirello, who lives in Macomb County, Michigan. “It felt like it was them checking in and saying, ‘Hi, everybody!’ ”
The other couple in the photo is Ruggirello’s great-great aunt and uncle, both of whom died before Ruggirello was born.
Coincidentally, the couple’s granddaughter also saw the Facebook post. She told Ruggirello the book was donated by her father, who has a habit of using photos as bookmarks.
“My dad has such a big family, and I’ve met a lot over the years but there’s a ton of distant cousins and relatives, and we’ve all been connecting through this reminder of my grandparents,” Ruggirello said.
Ruggirello went to the library on June 4 to retrieve the photo, and WXYZ Channel 7 was there to capture it. The library updated its post and wrote: “Lost & found love story”.
“It was a very meaningful moment because she said her and her family had never seen this photo,” White said. “I had tears in my eyes.”
Frank and Josephine Ruggirello on their honeymoon in Niagara Falls, New York. Photo / the Washington Post
It was emotional for Ruggirello, too.
“It was such an unexpected reminder of them,” she said.
On Sundays, Ruggirello’s grandparents would host dinner for the extended family, and Josephine would make her famous pasta with meatballs, as well as chocolate chip cookies.
On each of their grandchildren’s birthdays, Josephine and Frank would call and sing them happy birthday. And every Valentine’s Day, Josephine would give each grandchild a care package filled with her sugar cookies, which she called “love ya” cookies.
Josephine Ruggirello with her grandchildren. From left, Meagan Ruggirello, Julia Ruggirello, Anne Ruggirello, Allison Ruggirello, Frank Kozlowski, Sarah Ruggirello, Jerry Kozlowski, Jennifer Ruggirello and Abbi Kozlowski. Photo / the Washington Post
“Even when my cousins and I were at college, she would spend all this money to ship them to us,” Ruggirello said.
The Ruggirellos with their grandchildren at a holiday event. Photo / the Washington Post
Her grandfather was a truck driver, Ruggirello said, and he worked hard to set an example for his children and grandchildren.
“They really valued education, and they both came from very humble beginnings and were not able to go to college themselves,” Ruggirello said. “They were so proud of the fact that all five children graduated from Michigan State University.”
The five Ruggirello children. Top, Peter Ruggirello. From left, Frank Ruggirello jnr, Lucia Ruggirello, Joanna Kozlowski and Gaspare Ruggirello. Photo / the Washington Post
When Frank was still alive, the family would attend a Michigan State football game together every year.
“My grandfather was a huge sports fan,” Ruggirello said.
Beyond the fond memories, Ruggirello said the resurfaced photo has also reminded her of the goodness in people.
Sarah Ruggirello with her grandparents. Photo / the Washington Post
“It would have been so easy to throw it in the trash and go on with their day,” she said. “The fact that they took the time to post it and look for us, that meant so much.”
Ruggirello plans to frame the photo in her home.
“They were the sweetest,” she said of her grandparents. “They would’ve gotten a huge kick out of this entire thing.”
