**Should family and friends desire to make a memorial contribution, the family respectfully would appreciate that donations be made toward the remaining medical and funeral expenses. You may donate online at https://posthope.org/hearts-united-in-prayer-for-louie/donations or mail a check directly (address provided at the bottom of the Post Hope donation page)."

A Life Well Lived! Louie A. Ruvido entered eternal life at 61 years of age on the morning of August 29th, 2016 in Durham, NC.

His life was a miracle. Louie became very ill in May of 1979 when he was 25 years old. He lived on dialysis for years, enduring two failed kidney transplant attempts (one of which came from his own perfectly-matched eldest brother, Tony). At that time, things looked very bleak but God mercifully answered Louie's heartfelt prayer and granted him the gift of life a second time when he received a third kidney transplant from a deceased donor in June of 1982. This kidney was not expected to extend his life for more than 5 years. So when that kidney began to fail 34 years later, Louie remained very grateful for the tremendous quality of life he had been able to enjoy - a life imbued with remarkable strength and vitality. When Louie received his diagnosis of terminal cancer, he maintained a joyful attitude about having lived a full, happy, blessed life rather than feeling angry and disheartened about having to suffer and die.

Louie was born the youngest of five children in Boston, MA on November 12th, 1954 to Anthony F. Ruvido and Mabel F. Moore. His paternal grandparents had emigrated from Palermo, Sicily to the North End of Boston, considered one of America’s most colorful and vibrant ethnic neighborhoods. Louie grew up there, a proud Italian boy who amusingly stood out among his peers being tall, slender, fair-skinned, and blue-eyed, characteristics inherited from his St. John’s, Newfoundland, maternal grandparents.

He learned his strong work ethic from his father who worked with pick and shovel as a construction worker by day and as a postal worker by night. He learned to appreciate good, homemade Italian cooking and baking thanks to his mother who managed to put delicious three and four course meals on the table, no matter how tough times were. Most of all, his rich Italian heritage instilled in him the strong sense of family values which he demonstrated wholeheartedly for the remainder of his life.

Being a city boy who worked on roof repair, played pool, and loved to ride his 750 Triumph motorcycle through town did not stop him from enjoying the great outdoors. He loved to hike, climb, camp, fish, and yes, garden! He hitchhiked across the USA and Canada when he was nineteen. Louie found solace in solitude, exploring nature behind the lens of a camera, often traveling distances to capture the beauty of a sunrise or of a sunset on film that he would then develop himself in his homemade dark room.

Louie attended St. Anthony’s in the North End of Boston and graduated from Everett High School in 1972. He went on to earn his diploma in Photography from the Franklin Institute of Boston in June of 1980. In keeping with his promise to serve God for the rest of his life should he survive his illness and receive a successful kidney transplant, he graduated with high honors from a three year program in Christian Education in May of 1985, earning a Christian Leadership Award for his work with children in the inner city of Boston. All this while working in the college campus’ print shop and doing photography on the side. He became an ordained minister of the Gospel in May 1985 and earned his Bachelor’s of Arts (with honors) degree from MBC&S in 1991.

In January of 1985, while serving a six month internship in the South of France, he fell madly in love with a little French Canadian beauty. For the rest of his life, she could make him swoon by merely walking into the room. They were married on June 15th, 1986. Every single day of their thirty years, two months and fourteen days together, his heart never ceased skipping a beat and his face never ceased to light up at the sight of her and at the sound of her voice whether in person or over the phone. Her laughter, her touch, her very presence - no matter her mood - evoked his unconditional love. Louie loved Monique with every fiber of his being to the very end of his life.

One of Louie’s more engaging traits was that he was as practical as he was spiritual. From 1985 - 1988, he built a successful business from the ground up in Eastern Massachusetts for the purpose of financing a missionary enterprise that he led with his wife and 4 others in Naples, Italy (where he finally learned to speak and teach in Italian!). Those were joyful, fulfilling, and exciting years for Louie, filled with hard work, travel and adventure as he invested in the lives of many.

In November of 1989, he and Monique moved from Italy to Montreal, Canada enjoying quality time with his in-laws, while working as a Sales Manager and Lead Developer for Basement Waterproofing Nationwide Canada, Inc. and actively serving in his local church. He taught Eschatology and other courses in the Bible College, participated in various outreach ministries and offered counseling as needed. He also taught summer programs in Romania, Yugoslavia, and Croatia.

Later, he served as a Sales Manager for another Basement Waterproofing franchise in the Mid Atlantic region covering five states (MD, NJ, PA, DE) and the District of Columbia from 1991 - 2000, spending many hours on the road in sales, interacting with clients like DuPont, MBNA, and other large corporations as well as individual home owners. Louie managed up to two thousand contracts annually, organized trade shows, hired personnel, supervised and developed training programs. During his tenure, sales grew from $1.8 million to $6 million. He promoted unity and diligence among the salesmen in his care that looked to him for leadership. He exuded a quiet, gentle authority that led by example. His integrity and work ethic were apparent to all which inspired confidence and a high level of trust from colleagues and superiors.

Despite the potentially serious implications of his physical condition, Louie continued to amaze us all with his boundless energy during those years, as a loyal, dedicated husband and father of two young boys, making them a priority. He would give his all on the job, but once home, Louie had a remarkable ability to completely put work aside to fully relax and be present with his family, giving them his undivided, loving attention regardless of the demands made on him during the day. Louie was a calm, loving man who served his family in the home. He was playful, loved taking them out on dates, and had a spontaneous, unexpected way of delighting them with his epigrammatic and dry humor. As if all of this weren’t enough, he managed to find the time to serve his local church (in addition to attending three services and three classes a week), by participating in inner city outreaches, speaking at events and counseling free of charge. He also led a Saturday night Bible Study in Hartford County, MD, that touched many lives, enabling them to grow in their faith for years to come. During those years, he also had the opportunity to attend international conventions in Holland, France, Hungary Poland, Finland, Germany, and Austria. He did all of this while teaching himself how to invest in and acquire foreclosed properties that he would then repair, rent out, and sell for a profit.

Some of the best years of his life were spent serving the Grace Bible Fellowship church in Rockland, Maine from 2000 - 2007 as their Senior Pastor. He loved the people, coastal living, the simple lifestyle, and the privilege of providing direction, teaching and counsel. He conducted Bible Studies, taught Bible College classes, performed weddings, funerals, baby dedications, personally made home and hospital visitations, and presided over three church services a week while spearheading various outreaches in the community. Louie’s desire was to co-labor with the other local churches in Mid-Coast Maine, so he was very proud of becoming a member of the Board of Directors for the “Philippian Fellowship”, a nonprofit organization providing support and encouragement to pastors and churches in Eastern Europe. He was also honored to accept the opportunity to serve as a member of the Board of Directors for the Pen Bay Christian High School. In August 2007, he was given the cheerful task of opening the five days of traditional festivities at the 60th annual Maine Lobster Festival with a brief word and prayer. During those years, Louie also played an instrumental role in outreaches to Romania, Cuba, and Venezuela as well as personally traveling to Romania, Venezuela, Brazil and Chile. Due to unfolding circumstances and new life realizations, Louie moved his family to North Carolina in August 2007. He left behind all that was familiar and found himself miles away from sorely-missed family and friends. He did what he had to do to provide for his family and offer them a new start with new opportunities. He worked for a number of companies (during very challenging times in our country’s economy), beginning as a consultant for George May International, moving on to become a sales representative for two water analysis and solar/water energy companies, followed by two years managing a Waffle House franchise and over three years serving as Service Manager at the Sears Automotive center. His strong organizational skills, knowledge of tracking systems, leadership and training abilities, revenue growth experience, and responsive dependability in customer service made him a valued employee.

Louie's last place of employment - after a five month recovery from a total hip revision - was a Lead Generation and Marketing position for B-Dry Waterproofing and Foundation Repair Company in Raleigh-Durham. This was rewarding work because he passionately believed in what he was building and because he worked with someone who truly valued his character, integrity, and skills.

Little did Louie know then that he would soon be forced to undergo a final surgery that would dramatically alter his quality of life and force him to retire. Even after losing his one and only transplanted kidney on March 16th, 2016, and enduring the rigors of dialysis, Louie was ever a fighter with a positive outlook, believing the best in hoping he would get better. To the very end, he challenged himself to grow, to make a contribution, to focus on being productive. Despite all of the health challenges he was facing and being in tremendous pain most of the time, Louie joined a Pay It Forward, BNI ® Business Network International group, not realizing that his health would deteriorate as rapidly as it did. From December 2013 to the end of his life, Louie endured several major medical events with courage, quiet stateliness and grace. His health issues bombarded him in ways that might have understandably beaten anyone down. However, his spirit, work ethic, and joyful, loving, positive lifestyle and attitude remained heroically steady. Not once did he complain about the hand that he had been dealt. It was so painful for his loved ones to watch him suffer from unrelenting pain, insomnia, nausea, surgical procedures, E.R. visits, dialysis treatments, cancer, the severe side effects of medications, harsh dietary restrictions, respiratory distress, and extreme fatigue. But Louie had a way of easing their anguish with his calm demeanor. He made the best of every minute that he was given with a twinkle in his eye, a heart brimming with hope and gratitude, and a faith that completely trusted His Maker. He was so very proud of his two boys and at the strong, confident, tender hearted, and hard working men they had become. He wholeheartedly embraced all the time he could get with his family - loving, instructing, encouraging and consoling them to the very end with an inner strength that displayed a firm confidence and an all-encompassing peace that was astounding to witness.

This man, affectionately referred to by many as “Pastor Louie”, will be remembered as a well-respected, gentle and kind soul; a modest, peaceful, and unpretentious man that clung to simplicity, lived in the moment, displayed a great sense of moral character and integrity, and was very forgiving. He treated everyone with dignity, love and respect. He was an excellent listener, a gifted communicator, a loyal, passionate, romantic husband, and a dedicated father who instilled by example deep values in those under his influence with his intrinsically gentle leadership. His powerful legacy will continue to live on in the lives of his family and in the memory of the many who loved him. Louie is survived by his wife of thirty years, Monique J. White Ruvido, his son and daughter-in-law, Louie Christopher Ruvido and Annie B. Spuria of Chapel Hill, NC, his son Michael Jonathan Ruvido of Raleigh, NC, his brother and sister-in-law, Anthony and Kathleen Ruvido of Tyngsboro, MA, his sister and brother-in-law, Mary Ruvido and Edward Loconte of Quincy, Ma, his brother Paul Ruvido of W. Peabody, MA, his brother and sister-in-law Daniel and Paula Ruvido of Everett, MA and by many cousins, nephews, and nieces.

Louie loved his family, spending time with his wife, boys, and daughter in law, eating out, pizza, photography, reading, preaching, cooking, teaching, nature, fly fishing and the beach. He cared about making a difference in this world by supporting children’s causes, education, economic and social development, missions, and health and wellness. Please scroll below to read more and learn about Louie’s more personal side… On a lighter note and in no particular order, some of the things those who knew Louie well might have learned from him are:

“There is nothing better than an authentic Italian Pizza…. It’s the real thing! I know, I lived in Naples for three years.”

“Who needs an alarm when early mornings beckon the soul to a fresh, new day and you rise grateful for the privilege of being alive with new opportunities to love, give, and to make a difference? Every day is a great day!”

“When your wife says that her contractions are just kicking in, be ready to roll up your sleeves and deliver that baby at home!”

“Be sure to always have pasta, whole peeled canned Italian tomatoes, cold pressed olive oil, and garlic in the pantry and you will never go hungry. Then, if you also happen to have aged Pecorino Romano cheese, freshly cracked whole peppercorns, and fresh aromatic Basil on hand to top it with, you will eat like a King!

“Men’s cologne? Polo. Less is better. There is charm in subtlety.”

“When someone is talking to you, give them your undivided attention. Listen actively with a heart to understand their point of view and their feelings while trying to put yourself in their shoes.”

“If it’s not cooked in an 800 + degree wood burning oven, it’s not Pizza!

“Make time for walks in nature. Go to the forests and to the mountains, but most importantly, spend time at the beach and don’t forget to take your camera!”

“Strive to help increase people’s quality of life and take every opportunity you can to share the love of God with them and to help encourage them in their life’s purpose.”

“No matter how long you’ve been married or what you are going through, never overlook the importance of telling your wife how beautiful she is and how much you love and appreciate her.”

“Always be open to possibilities and unexpected outcomes.”

“One of the world’s greatest inventions is the toothpick! It was introduced to the world in Boston in the 1860’s. Be sure to have them not only in your kitchen but also in your car and in your briefcase. Always weave one or two into a napkin when you are packing a lunch to go. Don’t be afraid to “wear a toothpick” behind your ear or between your lips as you never know when it might come in handy; that’s why my wife can find them in our bed, on the floor in random places around the house, in my office, in the wash, in the crevices of my favorite chair, and even in the shower!”

Be authentic!

“You can never go wrong with Pizza!”

“Nothing stirs the heart more than waking up to the one that you love, laying by your side; and nothing is more satisfying that being able to thank God for a new day while gazing at the sunrise, meditating on Scripture, and sipping on a cup of freshly brewed coffee!”

“Eating good food adds spectacular joy to life! It’s about stopping everything you are doing to spend time together, connecting, conversing, planning, and relaxing.”

“Don’t waste your time asking “why?”; trust God! He knows what He is doing.”

“Clothes don’t make a man, but wisely selecting a beautifully designed suit or a tailored sports jacket, wool pants, dress shirt and tie is a way of expressing one’s respect for self and for others.”

“Every thought we think, every feeling we display, every word we speak has the power to tear down or to build up. I choose to build up.”

“Anytime is a great time to eat Pizza!”

“Take your kids out on dates; even when they are grown!”

“Be disciplined! Study hard, work hard, play hard and never stop learning! Make time to read several chapters from a quality book every single day. Build an extra-ordinary home library.”

“Don’t be afraid to make strong eye contact; it builds rapport and trust.”

“Never assume you know anything. Never assume you know what another person is thinking or what they might be about to say.”

“Discovering the fascinating aspects of food around the world and its cultural significance, its influence, and its lore is a very satisfying past time but better yet is taking what you’ve learned, putting on an apron and recreating some of those dishes for your family!”

“Let people be who they are. Don’t judge them. Be kind and let them fly!”

“If you live in NC and you want a real Margherita Pizza, go to Pompieri’s restaurant in Durham.”

“Don’t be formulating your own answer when you are listening to someone. Just listen. Validate what they are saying and feeling. Don’t offer your advice or rush into a response unless they ask for your input.”

“Lightly buttered, hot air popped, gourmet popcorn is a great late evening snack!”

“Don’t take things too seriously. Relax. Life is short. Enjoy each day to the fullest. Be all in! Don’t take a single moment for granted. Spend time with your family, showing them by serving them and by telling them often how much you love them.”

“There is nothing that can refresh and revive your spirit like being at the beach; that vast open space under a blue or clouded sky, the fresh salty air, the warm sand beneath your feet, and the sound of thundering waves lulling you to sleep at night.”

“Eating Pizza makes anything seem possible!”

“Make your wife breakfast often! She will love you for it. Serve refreshing, sliced, pink grapefruit and learn how to make delicious waffles from scratch, or finely diced home fried potatoes with fluffy omelets cooked ever so slowly as to keep them light, and to prepare her coffee just like she likes it!”

“Fly fishing is an art well worth learning. You might have a crazy schedule with many demands but just pack your waders, your pole, and your tackle box in the trunk; you never know when you might drive by a spot where you can stop in between appointments to throw a few fly casts.”

“Details matter.”

“Having the kids over means marinating a couple of racks of baby back ribs and grilling them to perfection on an infrared grill to serve with freshly picked sweet corn, lightly steamed green beans and garlic mashed potatoes or if you happen to be in a more casual mood, grass fed beef burgers, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside will do too!”

“Make the world a better place.”

“When all else fails, you can always just go out and eat some Pizza!”

“Wild caught Scottish Salmon, lightly steamed asparagus drizzled with olive oil and lemon, oven roasted potatoes, toasted rustic crusty bread, candlelight, Nora Jones playing in the background…. Need I say more?”

“Peace comes from knowing without a shadow of a doubt that God is in control. He makes no mistakes and always has your best interest at heart.”

“Strive for excellence in everything that you do!”

“Standing at the kitchen counter, flour everywhere, making Pizza dough and Pasta noodles from scratch is a lot of fun!”

“You are in charge of your attitude, no matter what the facts are, no matter what others do to you, no matter what happens in your life; don’t be a victim; don’t complain; don’t be a quitter; be deliberate about choosing a positive attitude!” “What good is life if you can’t have Pizza?”