Introduction
Steve Rico
STEVE RICO was born on November 8, 1904 at Capiz Province in the Philippine Islands. The province is located in the region of Western Visayas in the central section of the Philippines.
Steve Rico had come to the United States by 1940, most likely during the late 1930s when Hawaiian music became popular in nightclubs. The 1940 Census shows him as single, working as a musician in an orchestra, and rooming at 1301 North 13th Street in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He registered for the draft on October 13, 1940. He was then staying at 1831 North 13th Street. He gave his occupation as “Hawaiian Entertainer.” Steve Rico was inducted into the United States Army at Philadelphia on April 4, 1942. He served with the 545th Flying Basic Training Squadron at Gardner Field, near Taft, California. He was discharged on May 24, 1943. He married Theresa Crowther at some point after leaving the service. The marriage produced two children, Ellen and Arthur.
Steve Rico was working as a musician in South Jersey as early as 1947. The 1947 Camden City Directory show him living at 9 Robin Terrace in Audubon Park, New Jersey. By January of 1950 he had moved to 1 Turtledove Court in Audubon Park. In 1956 he and his family moved 116 Boyd Street in Camden, New Jersey in the recently built McGuire Gardens public housing project. He had worked steadily as a musician, playing guitar and leading his own band from 1948 into 1957. He may be best remembered as a musician for leading his band at The Cottage Cafe and Restaurant on Route 38 in Delaware Township (present-day Cherry Hill, New Jersey) which in 1950 was renamed the Hawaiian Cottage. After leaving the Hawaiian Cottage in 1950 he worked steadily in South Jersey for several years, and appeared in Atlantic City on occasion as well. In 1956 Steve Rico took a position at the United States Post Office at North 4th and Market Street in Camden, which limited his work as a musician.
Steve Rico was killed in a train-auto accident at North 36th Street and Rosedale Avenue on December 13, 1962. He was buried at Beverly National Cemetery in Beverly, New Jersey.
Cottage Cafe — Hawaiian Cottage
Camden Courier-Post —
COTTAGE CAFE AND RESTAURANT
Route #38—3½ Miles From Airport Circle
Presenting Nitely Steve Rico’s Hawaiians in the HAWAIIAN ROOM, performing on South Jersey’s Only Revolving Garden.
“Excellence Without Extravagance”
World War II Draft Card
World War II Draft Card — October 16, 1940
Cottage Cafe — Hawaiian Cottage
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden Courier-Post — March 21, 1949. Featuring Mary Egidi Muresan, Steve Ricco, and Harry Bohn.
Cottage Cafe — Hawaiian Cottage
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden Courier-Post — March 29, 1949. Featuring Mary Egidi Muresan, Steve Ricco, Harry Bohn, Eddie Kinley, The Burton Twins, Claire Burton, and Carmen Rene.
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania World War II Veteran’s Compensation Application
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania World War II Veteran’s Compensation Application — January 1950
Murray’s Inn
Camden Courier-Post —
MURRAY’S INN — Haddonfield Road and Route 40, next to Camden Race Track.
Steve Rico and His Hawaiians appearing nitely. Merchantville 8-9650.
Sportsmen’s Bar
Camden Courier-Post —
SPORTSMEN’S BAR — Route 130, Pennsauken, N.J.
New Year’s Eve Entertainment: Steve Rico and His Royal Hawaiians, formerly at the Hawaiian Cottage.
Lena’s
Camden Courier-Post —
Lena’s — 1173 Chapel Ave., Merchantville. Open ‘til 3 a.m. ME 8-9374. #6 Bus Right To The Door.
The Steve Rico Trio, every Fri., Sat. and Sun. Real Italian Spaghetti 85¢.
Gala New Year’s Eve Party. Open Sunday 1 p.m.
Last Minute Rush
Camden Courier-Post —
Camden Courier-Post — December 22, 1956. Featuring Richard S. Laxton, Michael LaSala, Leon A. Odlen, and Steve Ricco.
Lena’s
Camden Courier-Post —
Lena’s — 1173 Chapel Ave., Merchantville. Open ‘til 3 a.m. ME 8-9374. #6 Bus Right To The Door.
The Steve Rico Trio, every Fri. and Sat. Real Italian Spaghetti 85¢. Open Sunday 1 p.m.
CD Group to Dance
Camden Courier-Post —
Police Face Enigma In Crossing Death
Camden Courier-Post —
Concern over minor fender and headlight damage to his car may have led Steve Rico to his death Thursday in a freak train-auto accident in East Camden, police speculated.
The 51-year-old elevator operator, was killed shortly before 8:30 a.m. when a Camden-bound commuter train struck his auto, stopped on the Pennsylvania Railroad crossing at 36th st. and Rosedale ave. Police know Rico had gotten out of his car moments before the crash.
Coroner Wooster said death was due to a brain laceration, the result of a fractured skull. No autopsy was performed.
Lt. Joseph Hooven, who said witnesses were still being sought to confirm police beliefs, said Rico’s car, southbound on 36th st., struck a roadway marker as it was proceeding through the Rosedale crossing.
Examines Damage
Rico then stopped his car and got out to examine the damage to the right front end— a dented headlight rim and minor fender damage—Hooven surmised. However, Hooven said, the car was not completely through the crossing and its rear end was still on the tracks.
The train came and the crossing gates must have closed, Hooven said. Hooven said that Rico probably went to get his wife, Theresa, 35, a passenger out of imperiled auto.
The train struck the car on the rear of the driver’s side and swung it almost 180 degrees, Hooven said.
Hooven said that police believe the spinning car struck Rico, causing his fatal injuries. When investigators arrived at the scene Mrs. Rico was still in the auto. She was examined at Cooper Hospital and found to have suffered no injuries.
Hooven ruled out the possibility that the car had stalled on the tracks. He said a 19-year-old passerby told police the auto engine was running when he arrived at the crossing shortly after the crash. He said he turned the ignition off to prevent fire.
Face Unmarked
Coroner Wooster said that the possibility that Rico had been struck by the train was slight because his face was unmarked. Hooven also doubted that Rico had been struck by the train.
Mrs. Rico was unable to give police an account of the crash because she was turned away from the train and “upset” by her husband’s death, Hooven said.
Rico worked at the Federal Building, 4th and Market sts. and lived at 116 Boyd st.
The three-car diesel-driven commuter local had left Moorestown at 8:05 a.m. and was delayed only 15 minutes by the crash.
Steve Ricco
Camden Courier-Post —
Solemn requiem high Mass for Steve Ricco, 53, of 116 Boyd st., Camden, will be celebrated Monday at 10 a.m. in St. Joseph’s Church, 29th and Federal sts. There will be a viewing Sunday night in the Harry Leonard Funeral Home, 2850 Federal st. Burial will be in the National Cemetery, Beverly.
Mr. Ricco was struck and killed Thursday morning by a Pennsylvania Railroad commuter train at the 36th st. and Rosedale ave. crossing. He was dead on arrival at Cooper Hospital.
During World War II he served with the Army’s 545th Basic Flying Training Squadron. He was a member of the ‘Catholic Knights of St. George and the American Federation of Musicians, Local 77. He was a maintenance worker for the Camden Post Office.
Surviving are his wife, Theresa; a daughter, Mrs. Ellen Banfill of Camden and a son, Arthur, at home.
Burial
Beverly National Cemetery, Beverly, New Jersey