Mary F. Russell

Mary Frances Patton Russell, born September 20, 1927, entered eternal life at 97 years of age on May 8, 2025. She had lived in the South End of Louisville before moving to Vitality Living-Springdale in February, 2022.

Mary met her future husband, Jim Russell, while working at Moon Cleaners on Hill Street in Louisville. During her marriage, she worked for many years in the ladies sportswear department at Levy Brothers in downtown Louisville. She also worked sorting and handling mail at Christian, Brown and Rufer Accounting Firm during her retirement years.

Mary was always an active, engaged and social person. She loved bowling throughout her adult life. Beginning as a young adult, she bowled with good friends at Cane Run Lanes and, then in her senior years, she made new friends bowling in the Powder Puff league at Executive Bowl on a team with her nieces. Mary was an excellent seamstress, sewing clothes for her daughter, altering clothes for her husband and also making beautiful quilts throughout her lifetime. Mary was an avid cardplayer and enjoyed playing cards at family gatherings and Hand and Foot Canasta with friends. Everyone loved her good humor and spirit of fair play. Mary was generous with her time and talents. She was a compassionate, loving caregiver and was always willing to help others.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, James Austin Russell; her parents, Lee and Mary Agnita Patton; her brother, Myron Patton and wife Virginia; her nieces, Patricia Marquess (Donald), Joan Rone (Mel), Judy Smith; and nephews, Randy Russell (Leslie) and Ronnie Russell.

Surviving to cherish her memory are her daughter, Diana Ragsdale (Terry); her sister, Barbara Bickers (Donald); her nieces, Carolyn Bischoff (Michael), Sherrie Stearman (Tom), Barbara Coleman (Pete), Linda Topley; and her nephews, Robert Kapp, Jr. (Judy), Donnie Bickers (Karen), Theodore Russell (Elaine), Michael Russell (Linda), Bobby Russell (Cathy) and Larry Patton (Brenda).

Her family would like to thank the loving staff of Vitality Living- Springdale who cared for her, about her and gave her a meaningful life in her later years; the staff of 4Park at Baptist Hospital for their compassionate care; and Dr. Douglas Marquess for giving her so many years of good health.

Visitation will be from 9:30am to 11:30am on Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at Newcomer Cremations, Funerals and Receptions, East Louisville Chapel, 235 Juneau Drive, Louisville, Kentucky 40243. A celebration of Mary's life will be there at 11:30am followed by entombment at Louisville Memorial Gardens West.

Memorials may be made by donations to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX, Hosparus Health of Louisville or the Kentucky Humane Society.

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