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Mary Russo Obituary
Mary attended North Avondale Elementary and graduated from Walnut Hills High School. She attended Hampshire College in Amherst MA.
Mary had a long and fulfilling career as a teaching assistant, dedicating her time and talents to working with students with special needs in the Cincinnati Public Schools until her retirement. She also held many varied part time and summer jobs. She spent a happy summer as a census worker walking through neighborhoods
meeting many diverse and interesting people's.
Mary was known for her intelligence, humor, helpful nature, generosity, and strong personality. She was a force to contend with, leaving a lasting impact on all who knew her.
In her free time, Mary indulged in her
many interests, enjoying reading, exploring her artistic side, attending ballet classes and choral concerts. Mary cherished and nurtured her many long lasting friendships and loved to spend time and share meals with her sisters.
Mary Ellen Russo is survived by her husband of many years, Phil Russo, and his siblings Eric Russo and Vicki Benoit. She is also survived by her sisters Barbara Kapp Schwam and Emily Kapp (David Richgels), along with her nieces Jenny, Sophie, Phoebe, Merina, and Lisa, and nephew David. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Fred Kapp and Peggy Kapp.
Mary will be sorely missed by her family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched. Her memory will forever remain in our hearts.
Any contributions can be made to the Freestore Foodbank in her name.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Kevin Kluender
July 26, 2024
So sorry to hear about this so late. Mary was our neighbor and was always very kind and very positive and I always enjoyed running into her on the sidewalk. It was great to always see her on her walks around the neighborhood. I´ll miss our talks and Christmas cards. Godspeed l, Mary.
David Schwam
July 17, 2024
Mary was my aunt. She was a really kind person who went too soon and her absence definitely leaves a void. I will just share one memory that has stayed with me. When I was a young child, Mary and I were on a walk. I asked Mary if she believed in God. She said she thinks God is in everything. It seemed both mysterious and to make sense to me. Probably the most meaningful conversation I ever had with anyone about God.
Andrew Stone
May 8, 2024
Mary was my girlfriend in '70 or '71 and she introduced me to yoga at the Unitarian church, and that's been a lifelong gift I'm eternally grateful for. Phil & Chip were like older brothers when I was at Walnut - so today is extra sad as I learn about a world without Chip or Mary. And yet, one day, I look forward to meeting them on the Golden Shore. Phil's love of the Dead stayed with me my whole life and I got to get to know them through my friend John Perry Barlow.
Barbara Schwam
April 28, 2024
Mary will always be my baby sister. Since I was ten-years older, I used to pretend she was my baby and trot her around. Mary once asked to join me and a friend of mine in a game of "Dirty Scrabble." She told us she knew one bad word and when we let her put it on the board it turned out to be "café." In more recent years, we established a routine where she and our other sister, Emily, would come over to my apartment for lunch, and we would tell stories and laugh together. It was fun being part of three sisters! My youngest sister, Mary, was earnest, funny, and sweet. I will miss her terribly.
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Chris Steigerwald
April 26, 2024
I am blessed and privileged to have known Mary for 40 years. We worked as a team in the diagnostic preschool at Children's Hospital and remained good friends, sharing dinners out, day trips, and our lives. Mary's priorities always remained pure and genuine: love, loyalty, connection, and selfless giving. Her essence was especially evident in her interactions and impact on the children we served. Mary was kindhearted to the core, which made her sarcastic comments, with a smile and chuckle, all the more funny. Her beautiful soul remains in all who had the pleasure of knowing her.
Chris Richardson
April 24, 2024
My memory of Mary is intertwined with my memory of Phil - I was a friend of Mary´s in high school and knew she was a special, kind person. My brother Chip was close to Phil in high school and we all lost touch thereafter. Chip died in 2022 (May 4) and reading about Mary just made me want to reach out to Phil and give him a hug from afar.
Chris Richardson
Charmaine Kessinger
April 22, 2024
What a dear sweet friend Mary has been to me for over 39 years. 39 years of dinners, talks, lunches and phone calls filled with companionship, laughter and love. I met Mary when we began working together. It was a true pleasure to watch Mary work with children. She was a natural, instinctively knowing how to meet the needs of a child and gifted with her tender, gentle ways. Children naturally gravitated to her.
In later years, I would run errands with Mary. Just as in the earlier years, because of her sweet, gentle nature, people in her community knew her and were drawn to her. The bank teller, the store clerk, the librarian, all, knew her by name and extended the same kindness to her that she did to people throughout her life.
Mary, I will miss your `rabbit´ sandwiches that I teased you about when we ate lunch together at work. I will miss getting your neatly printed thank you cards and letters in the mail. I will miss hearing your voice say `bye-bye´ in that sweet way that you had when we ended our phone conversations. You will be sorely missed.
Molly Kelly
April 19, 2024
Molly Kelly
April 19, 2024
Molly Kelly
April 19, 2024
Molly Kelly
April 19, 2024
Molly Kelly
April 19, 2024
It was a joy to know Mary for over 35 years. How many wonderful memories I have of her throughout that time! I fondly recall Mary with the many dozens of children she worked with and cared about for so long. No child was too challenging or too needy - Mary's heart was always open to each and every one and she intuitively understood their need for love, patience, security and care. She read books, taught lessons, wiped faces and bottoms, zipped jackets, fed meals, hugged hurting hearts and laughed with delight at children's funny stories and antics.
As a friend Mary was so kind and considerate - always asking about me and my life and listening with thoughtful concern. Our little band of friends had so many dinners together at her house and at many lovely restaurants; Mary was a consummate host and always added to our fun with interesting games. Gentle is a good word to describe Mary - she was a person who wanted to move through the world doing no harm and spreading love around.
What great good fortune I had to meet her at Children's Hospital and to be counted among her friends. In her last weeks she remained the incredibly thoughtful, caring person I always knew her to be, remembering and asking about every little detail of my life despite her own pain and anguish. Her presence is already sorely missed but her gentle loving spirit lives on in my countless memories of her. Godspeed, Mary.
Jenny Smith
April 17, 2024
There was no one like my aunt Mary. So many stories! Here are a few tidbits (1) I heard she used to love to dress me up when I was a baby, enjoy the result, and then dress me up again! 2) I remember when I was supposed to go to an Easter brunch of hers and dramatically called to tell her that I couldn’t come because I was in the middle of breaking up with my partner, her response was, “Jen, we’re expecting you for Easter. Can’t the two of you break up after the Easter party?” She always liked a certain order to things . (3) Mary was humble and finished her letters to me within an apology of how dull the letter was. It was a quaint way to end a letter. (4) I will miss her sweet titter of a laugh and her ever present smile, even when telling me her complaints about people and situations. She infused a bit of humor into everything. Dear aunt Mary, you will be missed! Love, Jenny.
Laura Blumenthal
April 16, 2024
I'm so sorry to hear this. My first cousin Mary was the only member of my extended family close to me in age, and I'm ashamed and sorry to admit I had lost track of her over the years. She used to write lovely hand-written letters to my mother, Barbara. Also, that strong personality mentioned above was famous in our family, when she was offered a hand as a small child with putting on a coat or jacket, she stubbornly proclaimed, "I may do it myself, thank you please."
Eric Russo
April 16, 2024
Mary was a dear, sweet soul who touched so many lives, mine included. She was my sister-in-law and a mother figure, especially when I was younger. I will always remember her love of cooking, writing heartfelt notes to those she loved, and choreographing wonderful dinner parties and gatherings. Mary was the ultimate friend, sister, in-law, co-worker, and humanitarian.
It is an understatement to say that Mary had a heart of gold and would always do something for others, before doing it for herself. She had an iron will, an indomitable spirit, and a wonderful sense of humor. She refused to let things get in her way of living life, including insurmountable physical pain as she got older.
I love you Mary and I am better for sharing life with you!
Vicki Benoit
April 16, 2024
Mary was my sweet sister-in-law and was such a special person in our family. She was especially close to my mom and they had a close bond. We will all miss her dearly but her presence will always live in our memory of her.
All my love dear Mary
Vicki Russo Benoit
Lisa Russo-Craig
April 16, 2024
Our family is heartbroken at the loss of our sweet Aunt Mary. My childhood summers were filled with long walks together where I tried to keep up and our Yahtzee and scramble tournaments where I also tried to keep up. I loved going to bookstores with her and enjoyed watching her light up while she was teaching. She was a beautiful light of love that I will remember forever. My last memories of her were with my sons playing Yahtzee. I laughed to myself a bit as I knew they were going to have the best time and also lose. I never felt more myself than when I was around her. She was truly a gift. Our family is so blessed to love and be loved by her.
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