Russell J. Petruso

Russell J. Petruso, 67, of Meadville, passed away Wednesday, August 1, 2012 at his residence following a courageous battle with cancer.

He was born February 9, 1945 in Meadville, a son of Dominic and Lena Frisina Petruso.  He had been married to Rae Ella Peterson and subsequently married Claire Greene Miller June 15, 2009.

Russell was a 1962 graduate of Meadville High School and attended the former Alliance College, Cambridge Springs.  He worked for the Erie, Erie-Lackawanna, Conrail and Norfolk Southern Railroads for 42 years.

A member of St. Agatha Roman Catholic Church, he enjoyed traveling, was an avid reader and was a loving husband and devoted father who made his family his priority in life.

Survivors, in addition to his loving wife Claire, include a daughter, Jacqueline Gildea and her husband Roger of Conneaut Lake; a son, James Petruso of Meadville; his wife’s two sons, James Miller and his wife Katie of Meadville and Casey Miller and his wife Carrie of Guys Mills; his wife’s seven grandchildren; two brothers, John Petruso and his wife Joan of Meadville and Anthony Petruso and his wife Holly of Meadville; a sister, Sally Petruso of Phoenix, AZ; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Private family calling hours will be held with a public Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated Saturday at 10:00 a.m. at St. Agatha Church, 353 Pine St., Meadville with Fr. Matthew Kujawinski as Celebrant.

Entombment will be in St. Brigid Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Crawford County Humane Society, 11012 Kennedy Hill Rd. or the Yolanda G. Barco Oncology Institute, 16792 Conneaut Lake Rd., both of Meadville, PA 16335.

Arrangements are under the direction of the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, 581 Chestnut St., Meadville.

Share your memories and condolences at waidfuneralhome.net.