Danny A. Russo

Danny A. Russo, 90, of Fairmount, died Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center. Born in Geneva on Saturday, March 23, 1918, he was the son of Angelo C. Russo and Jeanette M. Silvage Russo. He was a lifetime resident of the Syracuse area. He was a communicant of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. A veteran of World War II, Danny was drafted into the U.S. Army as a private. He served six months before and six months following the attack on Pearl Harbor. His stint of 4 years, from June 10, 1941 until January 6, 1946, started at boot camp in Camp Croft, South Carolina, and he ended up defending our country in British and Dutch New Guinea, Moriti Island, and the Philippine Islands. During the war, he managed to play sports and meet his future bride, Wilma Barr. Danny was employed for 21 years at John T. Roberts School, retiring in 1983 and previously worked at Onondaga Valley Academy. He loved sports his whole life. He managed, played center field and was the catcher for the Ramblers from 1946 to 1964. From 1956 to 1970, Danny coached baseball, football and basketball for the Valley Junior Athletic Association and for Valley Broncos football. He also coached Pop Warner Midgets from 1965 to 1970. Throughout all this time, Danny maintained, raked and marked Meachem Field for all the games. He also made batting cages for the players. On June 29, 2008, he was honored with two proclamations and awards. The diamond at Meachem field was dedicated in his name as the Danny Russo Baseball Diamond. An avid Notre Dame and SU fan, he made sport scrapbooks of Notre Dame dating from 1889 to present and SU beginning from 1974 to present. He was predeceased by his wife, the former Wilma A. Barr, who died on May 17, 1991; and brothers, Robert and Lawrence. Surviving are his daughters and sons-in-law, Cindy and Mike Coyne and Pat and Dick Reney, all of Fairmount; sister, Mary McCarthy of Cheyenne, Wyoming; grandchildren, Michelle A., Danny W., Casey M. and Eric J. Coyne; six-great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Services will be at 9 a.m. Monday, November 3, 2008 at the Buranich Funeral Home, 5431 W. Genesee St., Camillus and at 10 a.m. in Our Lady of Lourdes Church where a funeral Mass will be celebrated. Friends may call Sunday, November 2 from 1 to 4 p.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in Onondaga Valley Cemetery, Syracuse. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Valley Junior Athletic Association (V.J.A.A.), 405 Longmeadow Dr., Syracuse, NY 13205 or to Valley Youth Football, P.O. Box 204, Nedrow, NY 13120.