Virginia Russo

Virginia Russo, 80, of Cumberland passed away in her sleep on May 29, 2019 at Bear Creek Senior Living Community in West Windsor, NJ. Ginny was born Virginia Louise Sherman to Edna Holt Sherman and Alton Parker Sherman, Jr. in Newport, Rhode Island, just weeks before the 1938 hurricane. She is predeceased by her husband Pietro Russo and her brother David Sherman. She is survived by her brother Peter Sherman, and his wife Linda Sherman, of Middletown, and her two children, Terri Russo-Weitz, and her husband Mitchell Weitz, of Plainsboro, NJ, and Gerry Russo, and his wife Maryse Lalonde, of Halifax, NS, Canada. She has 3 grandchildren: Erica Weitz, Joshua Weitz, and Sacha Russo. She also has several nieces and a nephew.

A graduate of Rogers High School, Ginny trained as a nurse at Newport Hospital where she met her husband, Pietro Russo. After getting married, Ginny and Pietro left the Newport area and moved to Pawtucket and eventually Cumberland, where they raised their family. Ginny continued her interest in nursing by volunteering and later working at Pawtucket Memorial Hospital, where she made many good friends and enjoyed working in the Rehabilitation Department for many years.

Her love and devotion to her family was clear in everything she did: arranging family gatherings, driving Terri and Gerry to various activities and events, and caring for her parents and aunts as they got on in years. Ginny had a true passion for learning about old New England history as well as Native American culture. She was a proud Rhode Islander, Daughter of the American Revolution and Descendent of the Mayflower.

Everyone knew Ginny as a passionate animal lover who supported numerous animal shelters, and rights groups. She kept many pets over the years birds, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs and she would even go out of her way to feed and protect animals she encountered in her yard, or at the Monastery in Cumberland where she would walk her beloved dogs Princess, Shiloh and Pokey.

We will celebrate her life at the Hambly Funeral Home at 30 Red Cross Ave. in Newport at a reception on Sunday, June 2nd from 3:00 5:00 pm. A service will be held on Monday June 3rd at 9:00 am.

In keeping with her values and wishes, we ask that donations be made in Ginnys memory to your local animal shelter in lieu of flowers.