Nancy Lee Russell

Nancy Lee Russell
1936-2018
Nancy L. Russell, PhD, passed away peacefully at age 81 on Wednesday, March 14, 2018. She entered the Kingdom of Heaven by being a good and faithful servant to God and by being a dedicated and lifelong advocate on earth to the deaf, blind and the disabled. Nancy was born with congenital cataracts and was legally blind her entire life. Fiercely independent, she achieved highly and traveled extensively. She positively impacted people from as far away as Taiwan to the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
Nancy was born October 23, 1936 in Harlingen, Texas to George and Angela Russell. She graduated from Harlingen High School after only three years in 1955 and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education in 1959 from Incarnate Word College in San Antonio. In 1964, she was awarded a Masters of Arts degree from Colombia University Lexington School for the Deaf in New York City. She earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree in Special Education in 1987 from the University of Texas, Austin.
Nancy developed the Magic Valley School for Deaf Children in Harlingen during the formation year of 1961 and for the next two years. She organized the school, developed the program doing most of the field work: recruiting students, contacting public health groups and school district authorities. In addition, she spoke before numerous boards, civic groups and service clubs, prepared newspaper interviews, and participated in radio and television interviews. She then worked at the Sunshine School for the Deaf in San Antonio. She also taught classes with the San Antonio Independent School District and in Corpus Christi. After receiving her PhD, she was a professor at the University of Texas Pan American, Brownsville, Texas. She also held professorships at Texas A&M University, Kingsville, at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York, and at Houston Community College where she was the Americans with Disabilities Act liaison counselor.
While living at Tarrytowne Estates in her retirement years, she was a champion of the Christmas Fund for the staff and helped raise thousands of dollars each year. She began a class for the residents the purpose of which was to write their stories to share with their loved ones. She enjoyed her friends at Tarrytowne and acknowledged they were her life and her family.
Nancy was the oldest of four siblings and was preceded in death by her parents George and Angela Russell, sister Betty and brothers George and Tom. She is survived by her daughter Jennifer Rankhorn Paris and her son-in-law John Paris of Austin, Texas and many loving nieces, nephews, cousins their spouses and friends. Her beloved French poodle, Yoyo, was for many years her companion and the source of much joy to Nancy until her death two years ago.
In her final days, Comfy Home and AMED Hospice staff provided Nancy with professional and compassionate care.
Per her wishes, a Memorial Service for Nancy will be held at Tarrytowne Estates, 1815 Enclave Parkway, Houston, Texas, 77077 on Saturday, March 24 at 2:30 pm. Donations in her honor may be sent to:
Sunshine Cottage School for Deaf Children, 603 E. Hildebrand Avenue, San Antonio, Texas 78212 - Phone: 210-824-0579. To donate, visit: Donate.sunshinecottage.org.
Alternatively, donations can be made to the Tarrytowne Estates Christmas Fund, 1815 Enclave Parkway, Houston, Texas 77077. Please make checks payable to Madelon Grassau and write Nancy's name and "For the Christmas Fund" on the check.
Internment will be at a later date at Restlawn Memorial Park, La Feria, Texas