Rita Elizabeth (Lepry) Russo, was born on June 28th, 1926, to Louis and Annie Lepry of Warwick. She passed away peacefully on July 10, at the home of her daughter Annie McGowan.
Rita grew up in Warwick and graduated from Lockwood High School in 1944 after which she worked at the Apponaug Company. During those young years, she enjoyed going to Hampton Beach and the dances at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet where she met her future husband, the late Anthony Russo. They danced beautifully together. Married in 1950, she began her life dream of becoming a wife and mother.
She was a woman of faith who demonstrated a sincere trust in God, even when losing her eyesight in recent years. Rita showed compassion and generosity to family members, friends, and neighbors and lived out the biblical command to “love one another.” Willing to listen, she tried to see things from another’s perspective and often sided with the underdog. She had a quality about her that made others feel welcome.
She loved to travel and always remembered fondly her many “nice trips”— both domestic and abroad—with her husband and Prudential, with her sisters, and when visiting her children.
Enjoying the work of building dollhouses for all of her granddaughters and of other around-the-house carpentry projects, she put love and beauty into all that she did.
She is survived by her beloved children and their spouses: Anthony Russo Jr.; Mary and Thomas Maguire; Donato and Kathleen Russo; Annie and Matthew McGowan; Rosie Russo and Richard Toohey. Her grandchildren: Chris, Lisa, Michelle, Briana, and Tommy; Nicole, Michael, Liz, Mia, Tess, and Mary; Ryan, Nick, Dan, Tom, Kayla, and Ali; Nate. Her great-grandchildren: Maddie and Nina; Liv and Avery; Dante and Jimmy; Elena; Elle and Drew; Mallory, Iris; Luke and Jack.
Rita was the sister of the late John Lepry, Rosemary Cross, Louise Casey, Dolores Lepry, Ann Brown, and Louis Lepry.
She will be greatly missed but not forgotten.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday July 15th at 11:00 am at St. Gregory the Great Church, Cowesett Rd., Warwick. Burial will be private. Donations in her memory can be made to Continuum Hospice and Palliative Care, 1350 Division Road, Suite 205, West Warwick.
Visit Hill Funeral Home HERE for full obituary and online condolences.
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