Mary Beth Russell

Mary Elizabeth (Mary Beth) Russell of Houston, Texas, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes at her home in Houston on November 9, 2025. Mary Beth’s sweet soul is surrounded by the love of heartbroken family, friends, and loved ones as she leaves on her next journey.

Born on August 14, 1950 in Houston, Mary Beth was a beloved wife, daughter, sister, niece, aunt, friend, healthcare leader, patient advocate, role model, and spiritual mentor. She touched the lives of family, friends, and colleagues with her quiet but profound spirituality and compassion. She had a rare gift of presence, strength, and faith that shepherded so many people through the most difficult times of their lives.

Mary Beth was a lifelong Houstonian. She was raised in the Catholic faith and attended Catholic schools throughout her early life, including St. Peter’s Elementary School and St. Agnes Academy. She graduated from the now-closed Dominican College in Houston with a business education degree and quickly found her way to a job-turned-career at St. Luke’s Episcopal Hospital. During her more than 40 years at St. Luke’s, Mary Beth held a variety of healthcare leadership and administration positions, including in Central Supply, Purchasing, Surgical Sterile Processing & Business Operations, Patient Admissions, and Patient Advocacy. Always more important to Mary Beth than formal job titles, however, was what she believed to be her purpose on this side of the veil: ministering to people and helping to meet their needs during difficult times. Toward this end, she trained and served as a hospital Critical Incident Team member and completed the St Luke’s Lay Chaplain program, bringing comfort to patients and their families as well as hospital staff during difficult times.

In large part, Mary Beth’s compassion for others was inspired by the Dominican Sisters of Houston. She considered herself a member of the Dominican Family and contributed in many ways to crucial justice causes important to the order, including climate justice, migration and immigration, human trafficking, and racial justice. She also personally assisted the sisters at the Dominican motherhouse and retirement center.

While Mary Beth may have identified most with the reflective, service-oriented aspect of her nature, she had a magnetic, charming personality and a homespun sense of humor that made her a popular figure at work and off the clock. Rarely did Mary Beth make it down a St. Luke’s corridor without receiving a hug and a smile from a colleague and giving one of her own big crushing hugs back. Mary Beth’s friends have loads of stories and the photos to prove that, when so inclined, she could be the life of the party and a source of much good-hearted laughter and camaraderie.

Mary Beth was predeceased by her parents John Clooney Russell and Georgia Marie Kocurek Russell, sister Judith Russell Chambers, and all aunts, uncles, and grandparents. She is survived by life partner/spouse Kelly Wallin and beloved pets; nieces Karen Chambers Dufrene (Sid), Janet Chambers, Jennifer Foerschner Hayes (Levi), and Allison Foerschner (Ross); grand-nieces/nephew Lily James Chambers, Adileigh Zaine Hayes, and Bowie Monroe Hayes; in-laws, Pat Wallin, Rissa Wallin Foerschner (Bob); and a loving circle of the best friends ever this side of heaven. When friends or family left Mary Beth and Kelly’s home after a gathering, Mary Beth was known to elicit a last smile from her departing guests with her cheerful saying, “Thanks for being on my show!” Her friends and family are sad to lose Mary Beth in this world, but they are eternally grateful for the many years she starred on their “show.”

A Celebration of Life service will be held for Mary Beth at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home, located at 4525 Bissonnet St., Bellaire, Texas, 77401. A visitation will take place at 2:15 until service time.The service is scheduled for Saturday, December 6, 2025, starting at 3:00 PM. A reception will follow after the service until 5:00 PM. A private funeral mass and burial will take place at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation “In memory of Mary Beth Russell” to The Dominican Sisters of Houston, 6501 Almeda Road, Houston, TX 77021, or to The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, PO Box 91891, Washington DC 20090-1891.