Shirley M. Russell (nee Allen), age 84, of West Bend, WI, passed away on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 at Heritage Senior Living in Middleton, Wisconsin.
She was born on October 2, 1928 in Green Bay and subsequently adopted by the late Oscar and Martha (nee Erdmann) Allen. Shirley grew up in Wausau, WI and after high school graduation she obtained a degree in education from the Wisconsin State Teachers College in Milwaukee.
While attending college, she met her future husband, the late Clyde Russell Jr., and they were united in marriage in Wausau on December 26, 1950. While waiting for Clyde to fulfill his military obligation in the U.S. Army, Shirley taught in the Beloit, WI system and later as an administrative assistant in the Sparta - Elroy school system. Her subsequent years following Clyde's entry into a teaching career were spent first as a full time mother and then filling a variety of jobs in both the private and public sector.
After living in Milwaukee, WI for many years, in 1996 she and Clyde moved to the Cedar Retirement Community in West Bend. While living there she enjoyed participating in the Cedar Village Choir and Cedar Ridge Choristers. Shirley was a member of St. Jacobi Congregational Church in Richfield.
She is survived by her two sons, Jonathan (Debbie Kotlarek) Russell of Brookfield and James (Kathleen) Russell of Middleton; four grandchildren, Rebecca (Kyle) Swanson, Molly (Tyler) Tesmer, Kelly and Kerry Russell and other relatives and many friends.
Friends may greet the family during a celebration of Shirley's life on May 29 from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at Cedar Ridge, 113 Cedar Ridge Dr. in West Bend. A memorial service will be held at 5:00 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, the American Cancer Society or Saint Jacobi Congregational Church.