Born in Greene County and raised in the Sunnyside community, Ruth grew up attending the community grade school with her siblings and attended Greeneville High School, receiving her diploma. Having to walk everyday to high school, her one desire was always to receive a high school diploma and become a registered nurse. Ruth put the nursing school on hold after high school and instead married her love, Glen Russell, as they went on to raise a family of four children. She began attending Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church in her young life, later becoming a member and attended faithfully as long as her health permitted. She was the oldest living member of Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church. She was also a member of the Ladies Circle #1 of the church.
She was employed as a seamstress at Greene Manufacturing Dress Factory, where she retired and later became a Foster Grandparent from 1984 until 2014, where she worked until leaving for health reasons.
Ruth was a loving, devoted, and caring person and her family always came first in her life. Anyone visiting in her home was always welcomed with a smile and warm greeting.
She will be truly missed by her loving family and friends.
Survivors include two daughters and one son-in-law: Christine Mullendore of Johnson City and Brenda Cox Skoropat and Philip of Morristown; two sons and one daughter-in-law: Kay and Gail Russell of Gray and Glendon Russell of Greeneville; grandchildren and their spouses: Kaylon Russell of Gray, Angie Wiley and Jason of Palm Harbor, Florida, Shannon Mullendore and Barbie of Tusculum, Brandie Crabtree and Adam of Jonesboro, and Brian Cox and Alisha of Morristown; great grandchildren: Savannah Russell of Murfreesboro, Brandan Russell of Gray, Bree Wiley of Lancaster, California, Caleb Wiley of Palm Harbor, Florida, Shayden Mullendore of Greeneville, Doug Mullendore of Tusculum, Emily Crabtree of Jonesboro, Adalyn Crabtree of Jonesboro, Abigail Crabtree of Jonesboro and Brady Cox of Morristown; and two sisters-in-law: Carolyn Kelly and Dorothy Marshall of Greeneville.
She was the daughter of the late Charlie and Mattie Johnson Marshall and was also preceded in death by her husband: Glen “Buck” Russell; three brothers: Roy Marshall, W. T. Marshall and Kenneth Marshall; four sisters: Nancy Gregg, Lena Grace Gefellers, Doris Weems and Addie Bell Marshall; and a son-in-law, Jerry Mullendore.
The family will receive friends on Monday from 1-3 and 5-7 pm at Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home.
The funeral service will follow at 7 pm in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Jason Wiley, Rev. Adam Crabtree and Rev. David Swift officiating.
Interment will be on Tuesday at 11 am in GreeneLawn Memory Gardens. Family and friends are asked to meet at Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home at 10 am to go in procession to the cemetery.
Pallbearers will be Shannon Mullendore, Doug Mullendore, Kaylon Russell, Brandan Russell, Caleb Wiley, Rick Russell and Connie Gefellers.
Honorary pallbearers will be Jerry Jones, Larry Jones, Jimmy Humbert, Lacy Haney, the men of Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church, and the nurses and staff of 3rd floor at Franklin Woods Hospital.
