Albert R. Russo
Danbury lost one of its proudest native sons, Albert R. Russo on Friday, November 3rd at Hancock Hall surrounded by his loving family.
Born on November 24, 1920, in his family home on Gregory Street, Albert was the youngest of eight children of Rocco Russo and Theresa Defina Russo. Albert was predeceased by his beloved wife of 58 years, Tess Stavola Russo in 2009 and his daughter-in-law, Dorothea Russoin 2015.
Albert attended Danbury Schools and was a graduate of Danbury High School and the NYA Quoddy Technical Training Program in Eastport, Maine, where he was certified in drafting and sheet metal design and excelled in sports there as a welter weight boxer. After serving in the Army Air Corp in Pearl Harbor during World War II, Albert worked in engineering departments creating prototypes for several regional companies including Data Control Systems, Mosler Research Corp. and General DataComm, always refusing to uproot his family from the town he loved as companies merged or acquired headquarters in other states.
In 2003, Albert and Tess were presented with the Lincoln Day Award for their volunteerism for many local candidates and causes; they spent many June nights throughout the 1990’s and early 2000’s on the Bethel High School Track supporting the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. Albert had been a member of Danbury’s Zoning Board Appeals and the Veteran of
Foreign Wars, and was a volunteer fireman with Padanaram Hose Company. In May of 2012, he was selected as a Connecticut participant in the Honor Flight for WWII Veterans in Washington, DC; he also enjoyed bowling and golf and was a life-long parishioner of Saint Joseph’s Church.
Albert is survived by his devoted son, daughter, and son-in-law: Albert A. Russo of Danbury, Cathie Petrosky and her husband, Philip of New Fairfield; eight grandchildren, William, Kimberley and Alison Russo, Joseph Scrofani and his wife Catherine, Frank Scrofani, Nicole Merrick and her husband James, Mia Petrosky Scappatura and her husband Michael, and Philip Russo Petrosky and his wife, Katie. Albert was also blessed to enjoy his five great-grandchildren, Emily Ann Smith, Kyle and Jessica Merrick, Vito Michael Scappatura and Lena Scrofani; as well as several nieces and nephews, many of whom were his closest friends growing up and throughout his lifetime.
Having lived on Gregory Street in Danbury during most of his life, Albert saw four generations of his family build homes and grow up on what his parents proudly referred to as The Farm. Throughout his lifetime, Albert reveled in childhood memories of swimming and playing ice hockey on the lake behind his family’s woods; caddying, golfing and tobogganing at the Ridgewood; he continued to plant his gardens well into his eighties. It wasn’t until the age of 94 that Albert agreed to leave his beloved Gregory Street homestead when he moved to the Gardens in Danbury and happily resided there with many dear friends, both staff and residents, until his recent hospitalization.
The Russo and Petrosky families wish to thank the staff at the Gardens for their loving care of our dad and for their tremendous kindness to our family; also, our thanks to the staff of Hancock Hall for their expertise and support during his brief illness and passing.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at 10:30 am in St. Joseph Church, Danbury.
Interment will follow in St. Peter Cemetery, Danbury.
The family will receive friends in the Jowdy-Kane Funeral Home, 9-11 Granville Ave., Danbury on Saturday, November 11, 2017 from 8:45 am to 9:45 am.
In lieu of flowers, friends may donate in Albert’s memory to Saint Joseph’s Church, 8 Robinson Avenue, Danbury or toward a tree to be planted in his memory at the Center for Comfort Care and Healing at Regional Hospice and Palliative Care on 30 Milestone Road, Danbury, CT 06810.