Joan E. Russo

1939 - 2025

With a heavy heart we announce the passing of a remarkable woman. Joan E. Tarcha Russo, of Butler, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, surrounded by her family and friends as she lost her 7-year battle with Parkinson's. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, grandma, great-grandma, aunt, cousin, coworker and a friend to many. To know her was truly a blessing.
Born Jan. 18, 1939, in Butler, she was a daughter of the late Frank Tarcha and Olga Bosko Tarcha O'Hara. She graduated from Allegheny Valley Hospital School of Nursing as a registered nurse, and she went on to spend 60 years as a nurse helping others. She worked for numerous hospitals, including Butler Memorial and the Pittsburgh hospitals' Eye & Ear, Presbyterian and Montefiore, as well as home-care agencies, A Total Home Care and ABC Home Care. She finished out the last 20 years of her professional career at Concordia at Cabot.
She served in different capacities as an administrator, auditor, mentor, a training architect and a counselor. She was a devoted worker in all of her "crafts," and she never stopped learning, researching, educating and then sharing her knowledge with others.
She truly touched the lives of so many and her legacy will live forever within her family, coworkers and friends. She was an incredible cook and had many guests cross her threshold to break bread with her family. She loved to know that you were well-fed, and she always made sure you left her house with a plate of leftovers. You never had a home-cooked meal until you had one of Joan's. She made sure every holiday, birthday and celebration was a feast. Think about an incredible family meal every Sunday for over 60 years. It was just amazing!
Joan was immersed in the lives of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was so proud of their accomplishments and endeavors, and she always loved a visit or a phone call from them. She cherished attending their events, school activities and sports and dance endeavors. She spoiled them with gifts galore every Christmas and birthday, and she made sure to cook everyone their favorite dish for their birthday.
She was a talented artist who painted portraits, landscapes and numerous characters. She made sure every Halloween that each grandchild received a pumpkin painted with a favorite Disney or movie character. She was also gifted in the crafts of pottery and sculpture; and she had a keen eye for decorating, organizing and making everything look so vivid.
She was the most incredible mother one could ever have. Always nurturing, loving, listening, caring, advising and making sure you knew that she loved you. She was the most unselfish person you could ever know, and she never asked for anything in return. It was so very, very sad to watch her suffer and know that, as much as she helped others, she could not help herself.
One cannot measure how much this incredible woman will be missed. She was a perfect template for motherhood, and our lives will be forever changed without her.
Joan is survived by her beloved husband, John J. Russo, whom she married Aug. 8, 1959; her children, John M. Russo, of Latrobe, Pa., Jayme (Judy) Russo, of Butler, and Brian C. Russo, of Butler; eight grandchildren, Kaytie (Jamie) Costic, of Latrobe, Alex (Anna) Russo, of Pittsburgh, Tori Russo, of Syracuse, N.Y., Joey Russo, of Tampa, Fla., Lauren M. Russo, of Butler, Alison Russo, of Zelienople, Philip Russo, of Zelienople, and Delilah Russo, of Butler; and two great-grandchildren, Palmer Costic and Aubrey Costic of Latrobe.
She is also survived by one sister, Patty Tarcha Heberling, of Sarasota, Fla.; one daughter-in-law, Carol Russo, of Zelienople; and a "daughter-in-law to the family," Lise Pynos, of Latrobe; four nieces, Tracy Heberling Matthews (Todd), of Austin, Texas, Kristin Heberling Sickeler (Steve), of Atlanta, Ga., Angie Russo Hawbaker (Steve), of Chambersburg, Pa., and Sally Russo Umbrell (Barry), of Chambersburg; and one nephew, Mike Russo (Marie), of Chambersburg.
In addition to her parents, Joan was preceded in death by a son, Steven W. Russo, who passed away Nov. 24, 2010; one granddaughter, infant Molly Russo; and two brothers-in-law, Salvatore Russo and Ted Heberling.
RUSSO - Friends of Joan E. Tarcha Russo, who died Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, will be received from 4 to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21, at MARTIN FUNERAL HOME SOUTH SIDE, 429 Center Ave., Butler.
The Nurses Honor Guard will conduct a service at 4 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.
A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 22, at All Saints Parish, St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church, 432 Center Ave., Butler, with the Rev. Kevin C. Fazio officiating.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Joan E. Russo to Butler Catholic School, 515 E. Locust St., Butler, PA 16001, for scholarship-funding programs.
For more information, please visit www.martinfh.net.