Massimo Russo, 85, passed away peacefully at his home in Washington, DC on Monday morning, December 4th, 2023 surrounded by his wife of 60 years and two sons. Massimo was born in Eritrea to Vittorio Russo and Elisabetta Giuseppone and grew up in Italy with his older brother Roberto. Massimo is survived by his wife Gudrun, his sons Massimo (wife Farla) and Claudio (wife Patricia), and five grandchildren Anna (husband Zachary), Joshua, Samuel, Christina and Adam.
Massimo graduated from Rome University with a law degree in 1962 and then attended Yale University in 1963, where he received a master’s degree in economics, his true passion.
His long career as an economist was mostly spent at the International Monetary Fund. In his early years, he worked in African countries and led many missions to study their economies and negotiate loans from the IMF. In his last ten years at the IMF, he headed the European Department, where he managed the IMF's relations with European countries during two important transitions: the move towards monetary union in the European Union and the transition to market economies in former communist countries. His leadership of the IMF's work in Poland provided a model for the whole region. In between his spells at the IMF, he spent two years at the OECD and four years as head of the Economic and Financial Affairs Directorate at the European Commission, where he was involved in early steps towards monetary union. He mentored and befriended numerous colleagues as evidenced by the many former colleagues that visited him during his last few months of life.
Massimo was a generous man with a good sense of humor and a knack for entertaining children. He had a passion for sailing and passed it on to his children and grandchildren. Together with his family, he sailed on the Potomac, Chesapeake Bay, in Holland, and Rhode Island. His retirement was defined by travel with Gudrun and spending time at the seashore at his second home in Newport, RI. Among his favorite activities were sitting on the porch with his dog, creating elaborate puppet shows for his grandchildren, and teaching them how to make the perfect pizza. Being fond of art and reading, his gradual loss of vision was utterly frustrating. He cared for the success of young people and his loved ones, calling frequently to check in and offer love and support. He will be greatly missed.
A memorial service will be held at Oak Hill cemetery at 11am on January 27th followed by an informal lunch reception. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to Doctors Without Borders.
“Mangia bene, ridi spesso, ama molto” - Eat well, laugh often, love much.
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