Clark-WhitePine County NV Archives Obituaries.....Ruggeroli, Maxine February 6, 1995
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Gerry Perry missgerry@cox.net November 28, 2011, 12:03 am

Las Vegas Sun - 2/8/1995
LV BOWLING MATRIARCH DIES

Ruggeroli instrumental in luring WIBC tourney here

Following major surgery in her early 30s, Maxine Ruggeroli was told by her 
doctors that she had to find an activity that occupied her time and would be 
an outlet for her nervous energy.

"My mother knew she couldn't just sit around the house, but she wanted to be 
involved with something that kept her close to her family," said Carmen Hamel, 
Ruggeroli's eldest child.  "She got interested in bowling and involved the 
whole family in it."

Maxine Ruggeroli, the matriarch of a family of top-rated Bishop Gorman High 
School athletes who helped organize bowling groups in Las Vegas and statewide, 
died Monday at her home from heart failure.  She was 82.

A charter member of the Las Vegas Women's Bowling Association who in 1984 was 
elected to the organization's Hall of Fame, Ruggeroli was a 53-year Las Vegas 
resident and co-owner of the old Vegas Lanes on Second Street, now Casino 
Center.

Services for the retired office manager of several Nevada businesses are set 
for 2 p.m. Friday in Palm Mortuary's large downtown chapel.  Graveside 
services and entombment will follow in Palm Memorial Park.  Visitation is 
scheduled from noon-7 p.m. Thursday in Palm Mortuary, 1325 N. Main St.

"My mother was a dynamic woman, highly intelligent and verbal," said Hamel, 
Miss Nevada 1956.  "In her youth, she was a slender, handsome woman."

For more than a quarter century, Ruggeroli was director of the LVWBA and was 
its president in 1950.  She was an expert in parliamentary procedure and co-
wrote a policy andprocedure manual that eventually was adopted by the Women's 
International Bowling Congress.

Ruggeroli, who Hamel described as "a pretty good bowler" in her rime, 
eventually became a permanent member of the WIBC and the Nevada Women's 
Bowling Association, where she served 10 years as president.  She also served 
on numerous national bowling committees.  

With her husband, Harry, and local businessman Frank Mirabelli, she bought the 
old Las Vegas Bowl in the 1950s and changed its name to Vegas Lanes.  It was 
located where the Golden Nugget now stands.

She was instrumental in bringing the WIBC tournament to Las Vegas in 1973, 
despite concerns about the event being held in a town where gambling is 
permitted.  Its success spawned other events of its type coming to Las Vegas 
in subsequent years.

Ruggeroli's sons and grandsons also made their mark as athletes at Bishop 
Gorman.  A son, Dr. Charles Ruggeroli, a local cardiologist, was a standout in 
baseball, football and basketball, and his brother, Harry Ruggeroli, was a 
football standout in the late 1950s.

Grandsons Ed and Chuck Ruggeroli were football and basketball standouts for 
the Gaels in the late 1970s and early '80s.  Grandsons Rico and Nick Ruggeroli 
and Harry Hamel played football for Gorman in the 1980s.

Maxine Ruggeroli, one of four children born to White Pine County Sheriff Phil 
Aljets and his wife, Anna (nee McIntosh) Aljets, moved to Las Vegas in 1942.  
She was a life member of the PTA.

She worked as office manager for local attorney Morton Galane and was legal 
secretary for several firms in Ely and Las Vegas.  She was active in 
Democratic politics statewide.

In addition to her daughter, Ruggeroli is survived by two sons, Dr. Charles W. 
Ruggeroli of Las Vegas and Harry Phillip Ruggeroli of O'Fallon, Ill.; 12 
grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

LIFE ACHIEVENTS

Milestones in the life of Maxine Ruggeroli:

BORN:  Feb. 7, 1912, in Tooele, Utah
EDUCATION:  Graduated from White Pine High School, 1930
MARRIAGE:  Harry Joseph Ruggeroli, 1933.  He was a White Pine football player 
who became one of the last faro dealers and bankers in Nevada.  He once dealt 
faro for three straight days to legendary Nick "The Greek" Dandolos.  He died 
in 1983.
FIRST CHILD:  Carmen, 1937
HIGHLIGHT:  Elected to the Las Vegas Women's Bowling Hall of Fame in 1984
AWARDS:  The 1973 Bev Orner Award from the National Women's Bowlers Writers 
for most outstanding Women's International Bowling Congress member from the 
host city of the tournament and convention.
DIED:  Monday in Las Vegas

Additional Comments:
Printed on page 2B of the Wednesday edition of the Las Vegas Sun.  Picture 
also included with the story

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