Obituary for Mattie Lee Russ
Mattie Lee (Carlene) Russ was born March 26, 1942 to Mary and Ludy Anderson, the third of eight children. Mattie attended Alabama Lutheran Academy in Selma, Alabama (Concordia) and Concordia College in Seward, Nebraska. After college, she taught at Redemption Lutheran School in Panama City, Florida and Faith Lutheran School in Mobile, Alabama.
Mattie married James Alvin Russ of Panama City, Florida and to this union were two sons, Eric and Patrick. She moved to Sacramento, California after the death of her husband (who was killed in the Vietnam War, Russ was a Major in the US Army).
After teaching school for eight years in Sacramento, California, she and her children moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida. She retired in 2002 after spending 24 years teaching at Mary Esther Elementary School, third and fifth grade in Fort Walton Beach, Florida for Okaloosa County School District. She was named teacher of the year in 1995. Following her retirement she moved to Daphne, Alabama to be closer to her parents. It was there that she suffered a stroke and was moved to Tampa, Florida with her son Eric Sr. and wife, Maria. Mattie (Carlene), departed this life on Sunday, January 19, 2020.
She was preceded in death by her three brothers, James, Ludy Jr., Lester and one sister Margie.
Mattie (Carlene) leaves to mourn her two sons, Eric Sr. (Dr. Maria) of Tampa, Florida and Patrick Russ of New York City, one sister, Dorothy Crosby of Fairhope, Alabama, two brothers David Anderson (Jean), Daphne, Alabama and Rev. Paul Anderson (Judy), Chicago, Ill, two grandchildren Eric, Jr. and Lauren and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mattie married James Alvin Russ of Panama City, Florida and to this union were two sons, Eric and Patrick. She moved to Sacramento, California after the death of her husband (who was killed in the Vietnam War, Russ was a Major in the US Army).
After teaching school for eight years in Sacramento, California, she and her children moved to Fort Walton Beach, Florida. She retired in 2002 after spending 24 years teaching at Mary Esther Elementary School, third and fifth grade in Fort Walton Beach, Florida for Okaloosa County School District. She was named teacher of the year in 1995. Following her retirement she moved to Daphne, Alabama to be closer to her parents. It was there that she suffered a stroke and was moved to Tampa, Florida with her son Eric Sr. and wife, Maria. Mattie (Carlene), departed this life on Sunday, January 19, 2020.
She was preceded in death by her three brothers, James, Ludy Jr., Lester and one sister Margie.
Mattie (Carlene) leaves to mourn her two sons, Eric Sr. (Dr. Maria) of Tampa, Florida and Patrick Russ of New York City, one sister, Dorothy Crosby of Fairhope, Alabama, two brothers David Anderson (Jean), Daphne, Alabama and Rev. Paul Anderson (Judy), Chicago, Ill, two grandchildren Eric, Jr. and Lauren and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.