Mary Eleanor Russell passed away peacefully on November 13, 2018. Eleanor was born in Houston, Texas, on March 5, 1934. Eleanor is preceded in death by her father and mother, Clarence Arthur Russell and Ruth Ann Russell of Houston, Texas; her brothers Ralph Harrison Russell and Richard Monroe Russell of Texas; her daughter, Martha Ann Lilly of Texas; and her grandson, Michael Dallas Haygood. She leaves behind her son, Michael (Elizabeth) Lilly of Fairbanks, AK; her daughter Susan Pankowsky of Nashville, TN; her grandchildren, James (Jordin) Lilly, Sarah Lilly of Fairbanks, AK; Nathan (Renana) Pankowsky of Givat Shmuel, Israel; Shirit Pankowsky; Raquel Pankowsky of Nashville, TN; Juanita Jean Perez, Matthew (Yuri) Mauldin, Jr. of Irving, TX; Jimmy Muhich, of Austin, TX; and Ashley Nicole Carter of Savannah, GA; one great-grandchild Sergio Mauldin of Irving, TX; sister-in-law, Carolyn S. Russell of Longview, TX; and nephews Richard Kevin Russell, James Kelly Russell and Raymond Shaffer Russell. Eleanor attended Sweet Briar College, Rice University, and then graduated from University of Houston, with a degree in art education in 1971. She also graduated with a Master’s degree in Supervision from University of Texas at San Antonio and Trinity University. She taught art at Roosevelt High School in San Antonio, Texas, where she taught for 23 years and influenced hundreds of students. She also received a certification in Administration. She took graduate art courses at Texas Tech University campus at Junction, Texas, for several summers. Eleanor loved to travel, beginning with a car trip to Acapulco, Mexico in 1941. In 1948, the family took a cruise ship to Guatemala via Havana. Many other trips included Bermuda and Europe in 1954, and England with her mother in the 80’s and 90’s (with side trips to York, Scotland and Wales). Eleanor belonged to many organizations, including The Order of the Daughters of the King in the Episcopal Church, Kappa Delta Pi Honors in Education, Delta Kappa Gamma, Houston Handweavers Guild, Houston Handstitchers Guild, Texas Art Educators, San Antonio Calligraphy Guild, Nashville Calligraphers Guild, and Academy of American Poets. She held various offices in most of these organizations. Eleanor’s art encompassed many media and mixed media, beginning with weaving and stitchery. They were exhibited in many shows, including several one-man shows and several juried shows. Since moving to Nashville, TN, she exhibited in art shows with the Nashville Calligraphy Guild, St. George’s Episcopal Church, St. David’s Episcopal Church, Park Manor, and the Gordon Jewish Community Center. She primarily painted canvases, giving away most of them to her many new friends in Nashville. Her apartment was a gallery of her artwork in every room, in every medium. Although many pieces had Christian hymns and themes in them, she had a number with Hebrew prayers and themes. Eleanor attended services and was a member of St. David’s Episcopal Church, and also attended Shabbat Shalom services once a month at Park Manor, for which she often baked the challah for the service. She will be missed by her family and many friends. Eleanor’s memorial service will be held at St. David’s Episcopal Church (6501 Pennywell Dr., Nashville, http://stdavidsnashville.org/). Visitation will start at 12:30 pm on November 26, 2018. Celebration of Life will start at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, Eleanor requested donations be made to the Saint David’s Creation Stewardship Fund and/or Room In the Inn. A celebration of Eleanor’s life will also be held at Park Manor (115 Woodmont Boulevard, Nashville, http://www.parkmanorapts.com/) in the Blakemore Room at 1:00 p.m. on November 27, 2018.
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