Sarah Russell
Sarah Elizabeth Russell, 88, of Inlet Beach, Fla., passed away peacefully while sleeping in her home on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. She battled Alzheimer’s far too long and with little to no quality of life for a year.
Sarah was born on Oct. 14, 1935, in Nettleton (now Jonesboro), Ark., to Columbus Padfield and Ada Bell Cole. At a young age, her family moved to northwest Tennessee. In later years as a teenager, she met her husband to be and love of her life, William “Bill” Ilar Russell. They had been married for more than 51 years at the time of his death in 2003. She missed him terribly for the remainder of her life. Following his death, she began to spend a significant amount of time at her Inlet Beach, Fla., home and permanently moved there in 2013 from her home in Union City.
A devout Christian, Sarah loved reading, attending church, studying the Bible, praying and living by example with a life as flawless as humanly possible. She lived to be a servant to all with humility, kindness, generosity, honesty and love. Cooking and entertaining friends was one of her great pleasures, and even after Alzheimer’s destroyed her ability to use the kitchen, she would always offer food and drinks to anyone entering her home.
For many years while raising her children, she was a full-time, loving mom and traditional homemaker. She maintained an extremely large seasonal vegetable garden, canned, baked and cooked. She was often helping friends, listening and offering wisdom and advice. In the old days of soap operas, she and her friends avidly watched “Days of Our Lives,” “The Doctors” and “As the World Turns,” and following spent time in deep discussions about the television sagas. At some point though, she felt that was not good use of her time and completely abandoned the soaps! In her late years; however, she loved laughing through reruns of “Mama’s Family” and “The Golden Girls.”
Had she followed one of her desires, it would have been in nursing. Once she and Bill were empty nesters, she became very involved and in demand in Union City as a caregiver for dementia patients. Two of her favorites were the late Ms. Beth Parks and Ms. “Tootsie” Latimer. After Tootsie’s death, Sarah retired aside from serving as a Pink Lady at Union City’s Baptist Hospital. She loved being a Pink Lady. After moving to Florida, her favorite activity was riding her red tricycle around Inlet Beach, talking with neighbors and tourists, and pampering her very spoiled and overfed cat, Tux.
Sarah is survived by her children, Shelia Russell Vermeulen of Birmingham, Mich., and Darrell Russell of Inlet Beach, Fla.; her granddaughter, Elizabeth “Libby” Vermeulen of Grand Rapids, Mich.; and her sister, Sue Palmer of Olive Branch, Miss. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Bonita Cole of Memphis and several nephews. She also is survived by many friends, both in Florida and Tennessee.
Sarah was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her sisters, Christine Rudd and Lawanda Brown; brothers, Bobby Cole and James Cole; and brother-in-law, Arlie Brown.
Friends were received at 3:30 pm, Tuesday, Sept. 17, at East View Cemetery, Miles Avenue, Union City. Graveside services followed at 4 p.m., where she will be laid to rest beside her late husband, Bill.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be gifted in her memory to one of the following organizations: Alzheimer’s Association, Destiny Worship Center in Miramar Beach, Fla., The William I. and Sarah E. Russell Scholarship Endowment or the University of Tennessee at Knoxville.
Edmaiston Mosley Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Published in The Messenger on 9.18.24