Arleen Russi
Died
Arleen Marie RussiAugust 20, 1939 - December 15, 2019Resident of Alameda, CAArleen Marie Russi passed away on December 15, 2019 peacefully at the age of 80. Beloved wife of James F. Russi who preceded her in death, loving mother of Jack (Jodie), Tim (Alicia), Joe (Lynn), Cathy, Pat (Kelly), and Shelley (Rahn). Devoted grandmother to 18 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. She also loved the four dogs she cared for over her adult life.
Arleen was born in Daly City on August 20, 1939, to Harry and Ita Kordoules. She was the older sister to Mike, Larry and Jimmy who preceded her in death. She was also the older sister to Janet (Ray) and Mary (Tony) as well as the aunt to Dominic (Janet's son), Jennifer and Tony (Mary's Children) and Michelle (Jimmy's daughter). She graduated from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. John's Ursuline High School, and attended City College of San Francisco (American Women Student President) and completed both her undergraduate and graduate studies in Counseling Psychology at California State University, Hayward.
Arleen lived her life with family and Church as top priorities and she was deeply faithful. She "adopted" neighborhood children, and often dinners consisted of 10-15 people at the table. She loved to dance, cook, draw and enjoyed the arts, especially plays and musicals. She had a wonderful voice and many mornings would sing to wake her children. She was also active in the Sierra Club and in her 40's traveled to Nepal and hiked Annapurna. She (and Jim) devoted many years of time to create strong youth sports programs through the creation of the East Bay Parochial League (part of CYO) which had an enormously large impact on youth in the Bay Area. She was a longtime member of the League of Women Voters and served in leadership to the Republican Women's Federation of Alameda.
Along with Jim, Arleen provided continual support for the Alameda Friends of the Park Foundation as well as all our local Catholic Church Communities. She dedicated her life in volunteer service to others, including development of a motor fitness program for elementary schools, she was a volunteer counselor to women at the Alameda Battered Women's Shelter and for many years she went over to San Francisco weekly to volunteer at an Alzheimer's Clinic. She was an active participant in the Saint Vincent De Paul Society, always sacrificing to help those most in need. Arleen's legacy resonates among all who knew and were graced by her unwavering passion, inclusivity and ability to bring people together to celebrate, mourn, support a cause or simply help people feel connected and respected, regardless of their individual circumstances.
Family and friends are invited to attend services which will be held on Saturday, December 21st at St. Albert the Great Church, 1022 Holly Street, Alameda. A Viewing will take place at 9am and a Mass at 10am followed by a reception to celebrate Arleen. Interment takes place at 2:30pm at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma. In lieu of flowers, please donate to in the name of Arleen Russi. God Bless and we are grateful to all for the prayers. For further information please call, Harry W. Greer, Funeral Director (FDR-745). Alameda Funeral and Cremation Services (FD-2139), Alameda, 510-522-6020.
Arleen was born in Daly City on August 20, 1939, to Harry and Ita Kordoules. She was the older sister to Mike, Larry and Jimmy who preceded her in death. She was also the older sister to Janet (Ray) and Mary (Tony) as well as the aunt to Dominic (Janet's son), Jennifer and Tony (Mary's Children) and Michelle (Jimmy's daughter). She graduated from Our Lady of Perpetual Help, St. John's Ursuline High School, and attended City College of San Francisco (American Women Student President) and completed both her undergraduate and graduate studies in Counseling Psychology at California State University, Hayward.
Arleen lived her life with family and Church as top priorities and she was deeply faithful. She "adopted" neighborhood children, and often dinners consisted of 10-15 people at the table. She loved to dance, cook, draw and enjoyed the arts, especially plays and musicals. She had a wonderful voice and many mornings would sing to wake her children. She was also active in the Sierra Club and in her 40's traveled to Nepal and hiked Annapurna. She (and Jim) devoted many years of time to create strong youth sports programs through the creation of the East Bay Parochial League (part of CYO) which had an enormously large impact on youth in the Bay Area. She was a longtime member of the League of Women Voters and served in leadership to the Republican Women's Federation of Alameda.
Along with Jim, Arleen provided continual support for the Alameda Friends of the Park Foundation as well as all our local Catholic Church Communities. She dedicated her life in volunteer service to others, including development of a motor fitness program for elementary schools, she was a volunteer counselor to women at the Alameda Battered Women's Shelter and for many years she went over to San Francisco weekly to volunteer at an Alzheimer's Clinic. She was an active participant in the Saint Vincent De Paul Society, always sacrificing to help those most in need. Arleen's legacy resonates among all who knew and were graced by her unwavering passion, inclusivity and ability to bring people together to celebrate, mourn, support a cause or simply help people feel connected and respected, regardless of their individual circumstances.
Family and friends are invited to attend services which will be held on Saturday, December 21st at St. Albert the Great Church, 1022 Holly Street, Alameda. A Viewing will take place at 9am and a Mass at 10am followed by a reception to celebrate Arleen. Interment takes place at 2:30pm at Holy Cross Cemetery, Colma. In lieu of flowers, please donate to in the name of Arleen Russi. God Bless and we are grateful to all for the prayers. For further information please call, Harry W. Greer, Funeral Director (FDR-745). Alameda Funeral and Cremation Services (FD-2139), Alameda, 510-522-6020.
Source: San Francisco Gate
Published on: 20-12-2019