The Madison County Record
Huntsville, AR
15 Jan 1998

Mary Russell was born February 21, 1910, at Loy, and passed away September 15, 1997, at Bakersfield, CA. She was the daughter of John Riley and Lillie (Carter) Russell.

She graduated from Kingston High School in 1928, and attended the College of the Ozarks at Clarksville. She had tremendous curiosity and a distinct desire to become educated. She worked her way through school concluding with graduate school. She ultimately attained her masters degree and many credentials. She absolutely loved school and learning and became a licensed clinical social worker, a position she held for over 50 years. She went to California to work for the Family Service Organization. She was a world traveler and interesting to talk to. Mary loved the theatre and music and enjoyed attending concerts until her arthritis finally made going impossible. She was intelligent, fair, and clear headed in all of her decisions and had a wonderful wit and scintillating sense of humor. She was an avid gardener. Mary was one of the original organizers of the Bakersfield Business Conference and one of the originators of the Altrusa Club of Bakersfield. She was the first woman president of the Horseless Carriage Club of Bakersfield. Mary was named numerous times to the Who's Who of American Business Women. She was known all across America as an entertaining and erudite public speaker.

She was preceded in death by her parents and two brothers, Theodore Russell and Paul Russell. Survivors include four brothers: Aaron Russell and John Russell of Huntsville, Steve Russell of Idaho and James Russell of California; four sisters, Daisy Swearengin and Nancy Reynolds, both of Huntsville; Lillie Mae Philo of California and Samuel Elizabeth Russell of Rhode Island; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Burial was in Hillcrest Memorial Park in Bakersfield, CA.