Dorothy Russo

- Former Staten Island resident Dorothy M. Russo, 93, of Las Vegas, a homemaker and dedicated volunteer who was the matriarch of three generations, died Tuesday at home.

She was born Dorothy Franklin in Camden Maine and moved to the Island as a child.

After her marriage to Louis A. Russo, the couple moved to Rosebank, then to Grasmere in 1954. She relocated to Las Vegas in in 1985.

She attended Port Richmond High School.

Mrs. Russo was active in raising funds for the Down Syndrome Foundation and Learning Center. In 1978, she and her husband were honored for their efforts.

She was an active lifetime member and past president of the Michael J. Labetti VFW Post Auxiliary. She also belonged to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Society in Rosebank and the Italian Catholic Federation in Las Vegas.

She was known for her natural beauty and for being a good hostess, family said. She had also appeared on the 1950s television show Queen for a Day as their queen.

She used her innate creativity to knit and sew many beautiful sweaters and garments. She also enjoyed playing poker, solving jigsaw puzzles and framing her completed projects.

While living on the Island, she was a parishioner of St. Josephs' R.C. Church, Rosebank and in Las Vegas attended the Guardian Angel Cathedral.

She was preceded in death by her husband Louis, in 1990, and her grandson Damian Russo, in 2013.

She is survived by her daughters Teri Russo, Joanne LaTona and Dottie Anne Russo; her son, Louis (Gianni) Russo; 13 grandchildren and fourteen great grandchildren.

Arrangements are being handled by the Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home, Tottenville. Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains.

Services: Graveside Service at Resurrection Cemetery on Wednesday, December 9, 2015 1:00PM

Visitation:

Cemetery: Resurrection Cemetery (Staten Island)

Location: Bedell-Pizzo Funeral Home