Patricia R. Russo
Hello My Love….
That’s how she would greet us whether on the phone or in person it was always, “hello my love” followed with a smile to light up the room and instinctively caused us to smile back.
At 94, “Pat”, “Patty”, of Murrysville, formerly of Plum Boro. and Bloomfield, passed away on November 11, 2025.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Patrick and Christine (Nacarrato) Rogers, her brother, Charles Rogers, her sister, Sr. Adele Rogers SC, her husband Joseph “Dixie” Russo and two daughters, Chris Russo and Michelle Russo.
She is survived by her daughter Rita (Dave) Gismondi two grandsons, Justin Gismondi and Jacob Brown, several cousins and many nieces and nephews.
She graduated from Immaculate Conception High School in Bloomfield and worked in the payroll department of H. J. Heinz Company during most of her single years. She married Dixie and moved to the suburbs in 1956. Her daughters were the pride and joy of her life only to be surpassed by the love she had for her grandsons.
Being a mom was the highlight of her life. She would do anything for her girls. She enrolled us in every dance lesson available along with piano lessons, horseback riding and art school. She was an excellent seamstress and made sure all three of us had new matching outfits for every occasion. Our house was filled with love, laughter, and generosity. There was never a problem that couldn’t be solved. Her legacy is being an advocate particularly for children.
In 1970 when her youngest non-verbal daughter was denied access to school, she opened her own school called The Unity Child Development Center to educate any child that was denied access to public education. At the same time, she worked with local state representatives and the governor to help pass foundation laws that paved the way for things such as The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975 and eventually No Child Left Behind Act.
All of this armed with no more than a voice, a dream and a telephone. No internet, no support from anyone and for most of those years not even a driver’s license.
On the heels of running a school and passing laws, she ran the office for her husband’s construction company from the 1970’s through retirement.
She enjoyed sewing and ALL crafts particularly embroidery and cross stitch. She even had an Etsy site called Patty’s Treasures to sell her hand embroidered pillowcases.
To carry on her legacy of advocating for children, she requested no flowers but to donate to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. While we have been blessed to never need their services, she hated to see any child suffer.
Please join us for a mass of Christian burial, Monday, December 22, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Mother of Sorrows Church, 4202 Old William Penn Highway, Murrysville, PA 15668. We will lay her remains to rest in Plum Creek Cemetery after the funeral mass. Arrangements by William F. Gross Funeral Home, Ltd.
The mass will be live-streamed from the Mother of Sorrows Church website: https://motherofsorrowschurch.org/livestream/
Pat Russo… loved 94 years …and then some.