Kathleen Alice Russo

Kathleen Alice Russo, 71, of Tempe, passed away on September 15, 2016. She was born on August 24, 1945 in Milwaukee, WI to Lawrence and Emelie Reuter. Kathleen had a thirst for knowledge and attended business college after completing high school. She attended Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Tempe and volunteered as a member of the Twins Club, at Maggie’s Place, and in the Banner Desert gift shop. Kathleen met Bob and the two were immediately inseparable; becoming best friends who shared everything. She married the love of her life, Robert Russo, in 1967 and their honeymoon never stopped. The pair loved traveling, movies, and any adventure they could find themselves a part of. Kathleen was the captain of the ship, and everybody knew they could come to her with anything they needed. She had a knack for remembering special occasions and obscure holidays, and she was never without a gift for those she had known for five minutes or five years. To balance out her love of wine and burgers with grilled onions, Kathleen loved hiking, cycling, and breaking a sweat at the gym. She is remembered as a woman who enjoyed raising her children, loving on her grandchildren, taking care of her husband, her willingness to always help, being generous, and remaining faithful to her religion. Kathleen was vital in the success of the family business, Russo & Associates, serving as the CFO. In this position she helped Bob grow the business and thrive throughout the years. She also shared her skill set and knowledge while working as an Office Manager at Expert Tax. Kathleen is survived by her loving husband of 49 years, Bob; son, Michael (Angelica) Russo; daughter, Anne (Karl) Petrof; siblings, Paul Reuter and Jan Strachota; and six grandchildren, Cade Russo, Liliana Russo, Alexandria Petrof, Michael Petrof, Maxim Russo Petrof, and Jack Walker Petrof. She also leaves to cherish her memory her group of girlfriends that she stayed close with for over 40 years. A Celebration of Kathleen’s life will be held at Green Acres Mortuary in Scottsdale on September 21st at 6 pm. A visitation will begin one hour prior for those wishing to pay their respects. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a contribution to Maggie's Place, www.maggiesplace.org/donate/ Please visit Kathleen’s online guestbook at www.greenacresmortuary.net