Philip Russo passed away on July 23, 2012, due to complications from a cardiac arrest event suffered the previous day. He passed away peacefully at Anne Arundel Medical Center while surrounded by family and fortified by the sacraments of his faith. Philip was a faithful, loving husband to his wife of 54 years, Elena (nee Lambriola) Russo, who passed away in 2003.
He was a loving, strong father to his four children, Philip, Kenneth, David and Elena. He was an affectionate and generous grandparent to his eight grandchildren. He was a fun-loving gregarious friend to many people in the communities in which he lived.
Philip was born in Brooklyn, New York, on September 17, 1925. He was a graduate of Boody Junior High School and Lafayette High School of Brooklyn.
During World War II he served honorably in the United States Coast Guard on board the U.S.S. Cavalier in the Pacific Theater. After receiving an honorable discharge, he participated in a number of business ventures, finally settling on a career in aviation, aerospace and naval engineering. He was a Draftsman and then an Engineer at Republic Aviation Corporation in Farmingdale, NY, a Senior Engineer at Grumman Aerospace Corporation in Bethpage, NY and an Engineer & Program Manager at the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA), Dept. of the Navy in the Washington, DC area. He was a graduate of Long Island University with a Bachelor's degree in Math and Physics.
Philip was a resident of Bay Shore, NY from 1952 to 1966, Hyattsville and New Carrollton, MD from 1966 until 1988, Springhill, FL from 1989 to 2011, and Davidsonville, MD from November 2011 until the present.
Philip was a long time member of the Knights of Columbus. He took his First through Fourth Degrees over a period of several years in the 1950's. He was an Honorary Life Member of both the Third and Fourth Degrees. He was elected an Outside Guard for the Fraternal Year 2012-2013 of the Fr. Peter C. Boyle Council #12254.
Philip is survived by his four children, Philip Michael Russo of Broadview, MT, Kenneth James Russo and his wife, Debra of Elmira, NY, David Frank Russo and his wife, Judith of Davidsonville, MD and Elena Maria Mansfield of Berwyn Heights, MD. He is also survived by eight grandchildren, Catrina Marie Russo of Atlanta, GA, Philip Michael Russo II of Murfreesboro, TN, Keith Chapman Russo of Sarasota, FL, Nicholas Chapman Russo of Hamden, CT, Jude David Russo and Peter Anthony Russo of Davidsonville, MD, Christopher William Mansfield of New Carrollton, MD and Mark Thomas Mansfield of Berwyn Heights, MD; and two great-grandchildren, Emmett Thomas Russo and Elijah James Russo of Sarasota, FL.