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Carmine J. Russo, Sr., 86, passed away peacefully at the Anna Kaseman Hospice on March 3, 2010. Carmine, the son of Italian immigrants, was born on June 15, 1923, at Corona, Queens, New York. He moved with his parents, Liberante Russo, Sr. and Annunciata Greco Russo, to Albuquerque in 1948. Carmine joined the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), Local 611, AFL-CIO, where he participated in an apprenticeship program, learned a skilled trade, earned a good living to support his family, and eventually became an instructor. As a journeyman electrician, Carmine helped build the electrical generation power plant located at Broadway and Rio Bravo SW, worked at the Chevron oil refinery at El Paso, TX, and supervised the electrical wiring of the Popejoy Hall at the University of New Mexico. Later in his career, Carmine opened his own small business, Quality Electric Company, and joined the National Electrical Contractors Association. Subsequently, Carmine worked as an inspector for the City of Albuquerque. He was a conscientious electrical inspector because of his concern for the public's safety. Having been a contractor, he also tried to work with contractors to give them a chance to bring their wiring up to code. During his retirement years, Carmine enjoyed playing the numbers games (the New Mexico Lottery and Powerball) and he enjoyed playing the ponies at the State Fair race track. Once he won $8,000 on Father's Day and then gave almost all of his prize money to his five children. Carmine was a family man who was unusually dedicated to his five children, wife, and parents. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Lily Russo; his five children, L. John Russo, Frank Russo, Carmine Russo, Jr. and his wife Jackie, Nancy Vigil and her husband Frank, and Al Russo; a sister, Caterina Occipenti of Dix Hills, NY, a former daughter in law, Kusum Raichur Prabhakar, MD, and 8 grandchildren: Shawna, Sonia, David, Alyssa, Kayla, and Dominick Russo, Eli Vigil and Adele Vigil Karoum. Roman Catholic Deacon Kenneth Sinatra of the Risen Savior Church celebrated a service on March 6, 2010. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association or the Kaseman Presbyterian Hospice.
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