Marolyn Cowart Russell

Dr. Marolyn Cowart Russell passed away peacefully at home on the 26th of July, 2024, surrounded by her family and dedicated caregivers. She was born to parents Lucille Milligan Cowart and William Troy Cowart in Alma, Arkansas on the 17th of February, 1926. She was 98 years of age.

At the age of 18, Marolyn entered Jefferson Davis Nursing School in Houston to pursue a career in healthcare. Against her parent’s belief that women should be nurses and not doctors, she began evening pre-med classes at the University of Houston and was accepted to medical school at The University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in 1952. One of only 8 women in her UTMB graduating class of 1956, she interned at Jefferson Davis Hospital which was then a teaching facility associated with Baylor College of Medicine.

She established a private practice in Family Medicine near Rosewood Hospital where she dedicated her career to the care and treatment of Houston families. The quintessential family physician, she made house calls with her black bag in tow and delivered babies at all hours of the night. Her three children all recall sleeping in the hospitals doctor’s lounge when their dad was out of town, and she was called to deliver a baby.

In 1972, she was asked to create a Family Practice Residency program for Baylor College of Medicine where she became the Director of Family Practice Residency and an Associate Professor in Family Medicine. She was a Charter Diplomate of the American Board of Family Practice and member of countless professional societies and organizations in addition to managing her private practice.

In 1977 her husband, Dr. William O. Russell, retired from MD Anderson Hospital where he had been Chairman of the Pathology department since its inception. They chose to relocate to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida where Marolyn joined the University of Miami School of Medicine as an Associate Professor in Family Medicine and taught residents until her retirement in 1982.

While retired, her interest in baseball became a passion– particularly including the Astros where she was season ticket holder, the College World Series which she attended several times, scoring every game with medical precision. Other pursuits included honing her cooking skills, needlepointing, being a prolific reader and book club member, and helping friends, families and extended acquaintances expedite, access, and navigate world class care at MD Anderson Cancer Center.

She will be deeply missed and remembered by her patients, friends, and family as a passionate physician, involved community activist, HOA board member, book club enthusiast, and lifelong medical educator, and advocate.

She was predeceased by her parents, older brother Robert Cowart, younger sister Betty Jo Phelan and husband William O. Russell Jr. MD.

Marolyn is survived by her children; Lucy Schimmel, Ellen Wolfson (Wayne), William III, grandchildren William Wolfson and Caroline Schimmel, great granddaughter Olivia and beloved niece and nephew Kathy Phelan and Kevin Phelan.

The family gives special thanks to her dedicated support team, Reina, Aby, Rosa and Sandy.

The family will gather for a private memorial at Woodland Cemetery in Woodland, CA.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to UTMB Development Office – IMO Marolyn Cowart, 301 University Boulevard, Galveston, TX 77555-0148. To give online, please follow the link below. For the designation, select other, and then type in “IMO Marolyn Cowart” UTMB.edu

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