St. Vincent’s Academy Dedicates Library to Late Clara McDonough Russo
(SAVANNAH, GA) St. Vincent’s Academy, Savannah’s historic Catholic girls’ high school, dedicated its refurbished library to the late matriarch of a prominent Savannah family, Clara McDonough Russo, in a service held at the school.
Like many of the other girls in her family before her, Russo graduated from St. Vincent’s Academy in 1961. She soon married Charles Joseph Russo Jr., who is well known as the man behind Russo’s Seafood, a local staple. The couple had five children. Their four daughters, three granddaughters and several nieces and cousins all attended St. Vincent’s.
While she worked occasional stints behind the counter at Russo’s Seafood, Russo’s real career was her family. At the time of her death in 2016, she had been married for more than 50 years and had nine grandchildren.
The building that now houses the St. Vincent’s Academy library dates back to 1855, 10 years after the founding of the school. It has seen many uses throughout the centuries and was renovated to serve as a library in 2014.
St. Vincent’s Academy, which is both an important part of Savannah’s history and a fixture on its educational scene, will observe its 175th anniversary next year.
The dedication ceremony took place at the school, 207 E. Liberty St. For more information, contact Christina Winters at christina.winters@svaga.net.