Margaret A. Lerussi, 74, of Ninth Avenue in East Liverpool, passed away following a lengthy illness on Wednesday, June 5, 2013, at Lifeline Hospital in Wintersville.

Margaret was born in Pittsburgh on November 23, 1938, a daughter of the late Arthur and Mary Kleber Kennedy. She was raised in the Leetonia area, where she had attended St. Patricks Middle School and was a 1956 graduate of Leetonia High School. She returned to school later in her life, and received a degree in nursing from Kent State University in 1975. At one time, she had worked as a registered nurse, and was retired from Salem Community Hospital.

A member of Holy Trinity Parish, she also belonged to the Ohio Nurses Association. She loved working in her garden and was known to have a soft spot for animals, and had taken in many stray cats over the years.

Her husband, Elio P. Lerussi, whom she married in 1958, survives at home.

Margaret is survived by her son, Lee Lerussi, and his wife Christine, and their children: Caitlin Marie Lerussi, Christian Elio Lerussi, and Connor William Lerussi, of East Liverpool.

Friends may visit Friday afternoon and evening at the Dawson Funeral Home, where the family will be present from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Father Peter Haladej will be the celebrant at a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. Saturday at Holy Trinity Parish. Deacon Joseph Dietz of Ashland and close family friend will assist Fr. Haladej with the Mass. Burial will take place at Columbiana County Memorial Park.