Mary Prusak Russell

It is with the deepest sadness that our family announces the passing of Mary Prusak Russell of Ferndale, WA.  Surrounded by her loved ones, Mary passed away peacefully, November 11, losing a courageous 16-year battle with ovarian cancer.  She was 85 years of age. Mary was born on Christmas Day, 1931, to Frank and Mary Prusak in the small town of Bellis, Alberta, Canada some 60 miles north of Edmonton.  In the late 1940’s she moved to Blaine, WA to help her sister care for her children.  It was there that she met the love of her life, Francis E. Russell.  They were wed in Ferndale in 1951, for almost 62 years, until his passing in 2013. Mary was a member of the Ferndale Firemen’s Auxiliary, a 3-time president of the Northwest DeMolay Mother Club, and a Cub Scout Pack Leader. She liked to play bingo, bowl, and crochet. Every one of her children and grandchildren have received at least one of the knitted Afghans crocheted especially for them.  We will all miss her homemade jams, baked bread and cinnamon rolls and her big pans of goulash that she enjoyed making through the years.  She also liked watching old westerns and gospel music shows on TV. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Francis, and four brothers and a sister.  She leaves her children, Gary (Becky), Greg, Barbara Johnson (David), Dean (Dawn) Shawn (Barbara), all of Ferndale, Lynette Caswell (Craig) of Oak Park, IL., ten grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.  The family would like to express their deepest appreciation to Dr. William Rubin and the staff of the PeaceHealth Cancer Center and Nurse Erika and the staff at Whatcom Hospice for the kind and compassionate care they gave Mom during her illness.  A public viewing will be held at Sig’s Funeral Home, 809 W Orchard Dr., Bellingham on Thursday, Nov 16, 2017 from 5-7pm.  Graveside services will be held at Enterprise Cemetery, 7041 Vista Drive., Ferndale on Friday, November 17, at 12:00 p.m.  A reception will follow at the Correll Park clubhouse, 2200 Winterbury St. at 2-4 p.m.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Whatcom Hospice or Ferndale Volunteer Firefighters Assn.