Jennifer Christina Ruberto was born March 17th, 1967 in Wabasha, Minnesota to Bob and Barbara Ruberto, and our world was never the same. Jennifer’s prodigious musical talent was first discovered at the age of four when she memorized the keys her babysitter Jane Johnson’s fingers hit on the piano while playing “The Spinning Song”, then later sat down and played the song with both hands as her three older brothers looked on in awe. Like her father, music was in her blood, and music was the foundation of her soul throughout her life, picking up vocal harmonies in complex arrangements effortlessly, and learning virtuoso classical piano works that her amazed pianist older brother Gino, wouldn’t dare attempt. Jennifer never made a living with her abundant musical gifts, but the fact that those gifts existed, that it was for real and witnessed by those closest to her, belies the happy-go-lucky, free-spirited lifestyle she chose to live. She grew up in Lake City, MN and attended Jefferson Elementary and Lincoln High. Jennifer spent her 20’s as an incredible and energetic bartender in Hollywood, California and New York City, but after a spiritual change to a more Bohemian state of thinking, returned to the comfort and beauty of Lake City, MN, where she spent many blissful years tending bar and catering to the loves of her life…her cats and her dogs. Jennifer Ruberto was the greatest friend and staunchest advocate to all creatures, great and small. She might burst into tears out of the blue because something made her think of elephants suffering in a zoo, or smack friends and relatives across the head for grabbing a tissue to dispose of a spider, as she would then gently cup the spider and bring it outside where it could be free and find spider friends. It was funny and cute to the rest of us, but we always admired her kindness to the least among us.
She died Friday morning, June 11th, 2021 at 8:35 of complications from sepsis. Jennifer was preceded in death by her father, Robert Ruberto, She is survived by her mother, Barbara Ruberto; older brothers, Mario (Brenda), Damon, and Gino; little sister, Nicole; nephews, Nicholas (Tina) Tony, Dane, Seth, and niece Britta (Pezh), who all adored her; her dogs, Eddie, Squid, many rescued cats, and dear friends, Aunts, Uncles, and customers who all loved her vibrant joyful spirit.
Though our Jenzie could be stubborn and opinionated when she believed in something contrary to your thinking, nobody on Earth could lift you up and make you feel more special or more included than my little sister Jennifer. She emanated light and she emanated love and joy, She was the kind of person who would sprint across a room to hug you. The world needs more of that right now, and my little sister, Jenzie, will be terribly missed by all of us who knew and loved her.
Though a memorial service is not planned, her family asks that all honor her spirit by being kind to the people and animals around us. In Lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to the family.