Carolyn S. Russell, 85

February 21, 2012

A celebration of life will be held in late spring for Carolyn S. Russell, 85, who passed away on Dec. 16 at her Horseshoe Lake home.
Born in Spokane to the late Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Stuart and reared in Oregon, she returned to Spokane to teach for a time and then to work as a producing artist at her home in southern Pend Oreille County. Overcoming chronic illness as a child and a lingering speech impediment, she enjoyed multiple careers and the friendship of family and friends with whom she shared artistic interests.
She was a supportive member of the Deer Park Art Commission. On occasion, her teaching innovations, artisan activities, or mentoring of special needs children and senior adults, would be featured in articles in local publications.
She organized a stutterer’s self-help group that, over a decade or more, helped professional persons overcome, or at least satisfactorily manage, their speech difficulties.
Her favorite artistic media was clay, some of which she dug and processed herself. Being a potter and sharing her joy and discoveries about pottery production with others, was a seminal part of her self-expression.
Another enthusiasm she fostered was artistic and affordable housing. She built homes with efficient design.
After a fire destroyed her gallery and log home, she engaged friends and family to build a sky-lighted dome on her lake lot. It still serves as a home and art gallery.
She was preceded in death by her two husbands, six siblings and her long-time companion, a large cross-bred dog “Magic.”
She is survived by her sister, Mary Stuart Steinle of Portland Ore.; three daughters, Kitty Russell, Christy Russell, Connie Russell Nelson; a son-in-law, Ed Nelson; nine grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews and their children.
Those interested in receiving notice of the celebration of life schedule or in offering remarks or photographs for that event may send their names and materials to: floramemorial@yahoo.com