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Larchmont Chronicle
AUGUST 2022
SECTION ONE
Pio trades his shopping cart for a walker as he moves indoors
By Helene Seifer “It’s paradise here,” states Pio Franco Iervolino, formerly known by his street name, Giorgio, to describe his new home in a senior care facility. Having visited him there several times, I wouldn’t describe it as such, but after
11 weeks elsewhere, including five days in a mental health hospital, the senior facility is an improvement. “It was rough. Rough,” Pio says of his time in the hospital. He says he had no privacy there. Nurses dictated when he should take a shower, and
they watched him. He was accompanied when he needed a bathroom. For safety reasons, he couldn’t have a pen or have shoelaces in his sneakers. Pio was cooperative so he could earn placement where he would have the freedom to
Russ Johnson — 1933-2022 Russell Lloyd Johnson, 89, passed away peacefully at his San Francisco home on July 12, 2022, surrounded by his family. Russ was born in Santa Monica on June 15, 1933 to the late Russell Arthur Johnson and LaRose Miller. Although his parents divorced early, Russ remained close with his mother, and he grew up in the San Fernando Valley living with his father and stepmother Beth. Russ graduated from Van Nuys High School, Harvard College, cum laude, and Stanford Law School, with honors. Returning to Los Angeles, Russ joined law firm Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, his professional home for his entire career. Russ met a charming young accountant named Mary Carroll in 1965, and they married in 1966, welcoming a daughter, Teresa, in 1967. The family resided in Windsor Square, where Russ for many years was a leading board member of the Windsor Square Association. Russ focused on real estate law and founded Gibson Dunn’s real estate department. He was widely regarded as the dean of Los Angeles real estate, instrumental in the creation of California Plaza, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Union Bank Building and the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Russ retired in 1996 and was a strong advocate for women lawyers throughout his career.
Russ was a proud member of the Chancery Club, Wilshire Rotary, and the HarvardRadcliffe Club of Southern California (for which he served as president). After retiring, Russ and Mary moved to Coronado and supported the Coronado Historical...Association, Coronado Rotary and the Coronado Hospital Foundation (where he served as chair), as well as various San Diego performing arts groups. Russ and Mary also were indefatigable world travelers, and Russ inherited his mother’s generosity, hosting boisterous family gatherings and visiting relatives near and far. Having received scholarships himself, Russ generously supported education, including at his alma maters. Russ and Mary later moved to San Francisco, where their lawyer daughter is a partner at Arnold & Porter. Russ is survived by Mary, daughter Teresa, daughter-in-law Daria, sisterin-law Joan, and many family and friends. There will be a funeral mass in Los Angeles at St. Brendan Church, 310 S. Van Ness Avenue, at noon on August 12. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Employee Appreciation Fund at the San Francisco Towers or for scholarships at Stanford Law School or Harvard University. Adv.
come and go at will as long as he took his medicine and returned when required. He’s grateful for that autonomy. On the Boulevard Recently Pio went back to his old stomping grounds for a visit. Years of street living and crippling back pain have left him hunched, so now he uses a walker instead of leaning on his shopping cart for support. Passersby had double takes when they saw Pio sipping coffee with acquaintances at a sidewalk table at Peet’s instead of asking for handouts from his former place
in the street behind the line of parked cars. Many stopped to tell him how good it was to see him and how great he looked. Pio beamed. The senior care facility is near Olympic Boulevard and the Carthay Circle part of Council District Five. Pio hopes to re-learn the ropes of riding buses, which he did when he worked as a machinist, about 15 years ago. Future articles will explore more permanent placement options and Pio’s continued struggle to receive the funding and services to which he is entitled and which he needs.
PIO FRANCO IERVOLINO (right) enjoys coffee at Peet’s on Larchmont Boulevard with, from left, Larchmont Chronicle writer Helene Seifer and Stories from the Frontline co-founder Marilyn Wells on July 21, 2022. Mr. Iervolino (aka Giorgio for decades on neighborhood streets) moved into interim senior housing earlier last month. Photo by John Welborne
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