Cora Russell

Mrs. Cora A. Russell, age 80, of Greenville, passed away Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009 at her home under the loving care of her family. The daughter of Adelbert & Laura (Hornig) Mitchell, she was born on Nov. 28, 1928 in Greenville. On Nov. 29, 1946, in Greenville, she married Ronald H. Russell and together they enjoyed 55 wonderful years of marriage. For more than 30 years, Cora & Ron owned Russell Jewelry in Belding, which was located in the old downtown and later in the Covered Village Mall. She truly enjoyed life and took pleasure in so many things. She loved to travel, camping throughout the United States and Canada with Ron, and visited many other parts of the world -- always looking forward to new adventures. Cora also enjoyed painting which resulted in many beautiful works of art but her specialty was creating heirloom Christmas ornaments for her family. She loved her flowers and gardening which was evidenced by the beautiful landscaping at her treasured home on Little Blue Lake that she and Ron built. Most of all, she lived for her family and all the special get-togethers and traditions they shared. She was preceded in death by her husband, Ron Russell on July 18, 2002, a daughter, Nancy Jean Weger on Dec. 12, 1993; her parents; three sisters, Julia Krick, Lucille Kiste, and Pauline Beard; and by three brothers, Walter Mitchell, Adelbert Mitchell, Jr., and Charles Mitchell. Surviving are her children, Barbara & Jim Wright, and Cynthia Treynor, all of Belding; her grandchildren, Yvette Reece and Zo Varga of Rockford, Shannon & Richard Reeves of McAllen, Texas, Eric & Kris Weger of Kingsley, Courtney & Joe Crittendon of Kentwood, and Jessica & Howard Cook of Belding; seven great grandchildren; a brother, James Mitchell of Belding; two sisters-in-law, Thelma & Sam Cooley of Greenville, and Alice Mitchell of Belding; and several nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2009 at the Brown-Teman & Christiansen Funeral Home and Cremation Center, 511 S. Franklin Street, Greenville, with Chaplain Susan Joy Cleveland officiating. Burial will take place privately at West Montcalm Cemetery. Envelopes for memorial contributions to the Alvah N. Belding Library will be available at the funeral home, where the family will receive relatives and friends on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Cora Russell, please visit our flower store.