Peyton Russo

Peyton Richmond Russo ST. PAUL, Va. Peyton Richmond Russo, 92, celebrated artist and photographer, died Friday, Sept. 17, 2010, at Heritage Hall in Wise, Va. She was born on Dec. 30, 1917, in Toms Creek near Salem, Va., daughter of the late William Frank and Mary Gravely Richmond. She was one of five children. Until major health problems arose in September 2005, she lived in her home and studio in St. Paul. She took part in many community activities, as well as social and artistic life of the region. She had an enjoyable, creative, fulfilling and adventurous life as a studio photographer, photo artist, and poet. She attended high school in Roanoke, Va., and did undergraduate studies at the Roanoke College. During World War II, she worked for the Army Map Service in Washington, D.C. She married fellow painter and art teacher, Alexander Russo, of New York City. After residing in Rome, Italy, for two years with her husband who had a Guggenheim Foundation Scholarship, her daughter, Eugenie, was born in New York City in November 1954. Following a divorce in 1957, she moved to St. Paul, to open up her own photography studio. During her lifetime, she not only traveled, she lived and exhibited her works in Austria, Italy, and Japan, but also spent many a summer vacation visiting and experiencing Europe together with her daughter and son-in-law. Being a gifted artist and a very kind person, she gave freely of her talents and human warmth to others who knew her. She was a very self sufficient and smart lady with firm ideas on morality, with liberal beliefs on politics and world events, conversing at length with great enthusiasm and interest. After retirement in St. Paul, she became a senior student of literature at the English Department of the University of Virginia at Wise. Here she found new interests, venues and made new friends, pursuing various intellectual and academic fields, rewarding to her professional career both as an artist and writer. She was a regular contributor to the journal Jimson Weed at the University of Virginia at Wise. Mrs. Peyton Richmond Russo died as she had lived with great dignity and strength. She is survived by her only child, pianist and teacher, Eugenie M. Russo, and her son-in-law, the architectural historian Helmut Weihsmann, both of Vienna, Austria. She also is survived not only by numerous nieces and nephews of the Richmond clan, but also by her supportive friends, Sue Blevins of Castlewood, and Suzy and Bob Harrison of St. Paul. A celebration of life service for Peyton Richmond Russo will be held at a later date in St. Paul. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Peyton's name to the Nature Conservancy at www.nature.org Online condolences may be sent to the Russo family through our Web site at www.castlewoodfuneralhome.com Castlewood Funeral home is in charge of arrangements.