Russell J "Russ, Rusty, Big Russ" Bruno

Russell J "Russ, Rusty, Big Russ" Bruno obituary

Russell J "Russ, Rusty, Big Russ" Bruno

Upcoming Events

Oct

23

Visitation

3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Kloecker Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc.

2502 Sassafras St., PA 16502

Send Flowers

Oct

24

Funeral Mass

Our Lady of Peace Church

2401 W 38th St, PA 16506

Send Flowers

Russell Bruno Obituary

Obituary published on Legacy.com by Kloecker Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. - Erie (a.k.a. Francis V. Kloecker on Oct. 21, 2025.

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It is with heavy hearts and great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, dad and Papa, Russell J Bruno(Russ, Rusty, Big Russ) on October 19, 2025. He was surrounded by his wife and children at Manchester Commons at the time of his passing.

He fought a courageous, tough fight against metastatic prostate cancer wanting to spend as much time with his family and friends that he loved and cherished. We love you and miss you already!

Russ was born on November 5, 1958, son of the late Rudolph and Barbara Winek Bruno. He was a loving member of Our Lady of Peace Parish, attended Our Lady of Peace grade school and graduated from McDowell High School in 1976.

Russ began his working career at 17 years old at Erie Burial Casket Company. He worked at Reed manufacturing, and American General Life Insurance as an agent. He ran his own agency at Columbian Life Insurance Company for the past 20 years and also worked for Glowacki Management until his retirement. He learned the plastering trade from his father and worked side by side with him and his brother Rob for many years. We are so proud of their plastering trade and talent! He will miss all his customers that also became his friends. Russ was an avid bowler in many leagues with friends and family. He enjoyed fishing and hunting with his son and friends at camp in Cambridge Springs, going to breakfast with his breakfast buddies, collecting beach glass and spending time at the beach, vacationing with his wife and family, and senior citizen trips with his brothers and sisters-in-law. The time he most cherished was with his family, taking his grandchildren and watching them catch their first fish, playing games with them, and of course relaxing and watching TV. He is so proud of his children's accomplishments and was their cheerleader his whole life.

Russ was preceded in death by Robert and Barbara Winek Bruno, his brother Richard Bruno, his father-in-law Francesco Scavella, his brother-in-law Lynn Huston, his grandparents, his godmother and Aunt Margaret Camp, and many of his aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.

Russ is survived by his high school sweetheart, his wife of 46 years, Tullia Scavella Bruno, knowing he was going to marry her the minute he saw her, his children Tullia Carmela Gore, husband Rich, his son Rudi Russell Bruno, wife Meghan of Charlotte NC, and grandchildren Raquel and Relina Gore. He is also survived by his brother Robert Bruno and sister Roberta Figurski, husband Brian, as well as his mother-in-law Sara Scavella, brothers and sisters-in-law Giovanni Scavella and Lina, Carmela Petrungaro and Franco, Domenica Huston, Silvio Scavella and Bambi, Joseph (Pino) Scavella and Gretchen, and many more aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and many dear friends who will carry his memories in their hearts.

Friends may call on Thursday at the Kloecker Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc from 3 pm until 7 pm and are invited to the Funeral Mass on Friday at Our Lady of Peace Church at 1:15 pm. Send condolences to www.kloeckerfuneralhome.com

Entombment will be in Calvary Mausoleum.

In lieu of flowers, you may inquire about making a donation in Russ' memory for a fund that will be established to support further cancer research at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

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Upcoming Events

Oct

23

Visitation

3:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Kloecker Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc.

2502 Sassafras St., PA 16502

Send Flowers

Oct

24

Funeral Mass

Our Lady of Peace Church

2401 W 38th St, PA 16506

Send Flowers