Philip J. Russo

Philip Joseph Russo passed away on March 13, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He was 95 years old. Born on March 24, 1930, in Middletown, Connecticut, he was the son of the late Maria (Gallitto) and Rosario Russo. A devoted husband for 70 years, Philip shared a lifelong love with Louise DeCarlo Russo.

He proudly served his country as Sergeant First Class in the U.S. Army, Company K, 169th Infantry during the Korean Conflict, with overseas duty in Germany. A lifelong resident of Middletown, Philip attended Vinal Technical School and began his career as a union carpenter. In 1959, he founded R & R Builders, working as a building contractor for 62 years. A true craftsman, he built and remodeled hundreds of homes, mentoring his trade with patience and skill alongside his son, Philip, for the past 42 years. He retired at the age of 91.

Philip was a faithful Catholic, belonging to St. Sebastian Parish in Middletown and St. Agnes Parish in Niantic. He was a member of the Italian Society of Middletown and served on the Commodore MacDonough School Municipal Building Exploration Committee. Since 1967, he and his family spent summers at their beach home in Crescent Beach, Niantic, where he cherished time with his grandchildren—fishing, crabbing, visiting McCook’s Park, attending the annual Niantic fireworks and Town Summer Festival, and sharing ice cream at Frosty Treat. A dedicated fan, he followed the New York Yankees and UConn men’s and women’s basketball teams.

He is survived by his wife, Louise; his children and their spouses, Karen (Christopher) Bongo and Philip (Kathleen) Russo; his cherished grandchildren, Kelsey (Dan) Constantino, Christopher (Melyssa) Bongo, Katie (Ryan) Farrell, and Jonathan Bongo; and two great-grandchildren, Benjamin and Eleanora Constantino. He is also survived by his sister, Ana Marie, and many nieces and nephews. The family extends their deep gratitude to the compassionate staff at Covenant Living Community of Cromwell for the care he received over the past three years.