Oct 12, 2021

Harriett McChesney Ruscello, 86, of Cave Creek, Ariz., passed away Thursday, October 7, 2021, in Cave Creek. She was born August 16, 1935, in Charleroi, to the late Charles McChesney and Hazel Barkby McChesney.

She attended Charleroi High School, graduating with the Class of 1953. She then furthered her education at Waynesburg College, where she met her husband-to-be, Louis Ruscello. On June 25, 1955, they married in Winchester, Va.

Harriett was an avid painter. She especially enjoyed painting portraits of family members and her horses. Her love for art started very early, riding alone in a streetcar from Charleroi to Pittsburgh at 12 years old to study at the Art Institute.

She worked alongside her husband for many years in their insurance businesses in Pennsylvania and Arizona.

She was a member and volunteer at the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona. She was the treasurer there for a decade and was instrumental in producing the prestigious Scottsdale Arabian Horse show. She loved owning and riding horses and shared that love with others by teaching riding lessons to many young students.

Her husband, Louis, died just a little more than a year before Harriett; their marriage had lasted 65 years.

Harriett is survived by two children, Jeri and Vince; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and many other loving family and friends. She was deeply loved and will be dearly missed.

No services are planned at this time.