Miss Florence Belle Russell, 106, of Whitefield, passed away March 29 at the Augusta Rehabilitation Center. She was born in Alna on March 19, 1902, one of 13 children of Edwin and Sarah Rines Russell.
She graduated from Lincoln Academy in Newcastle in 1922. She lived on the family farm in Whitefield with her parents and brother Warren until their passing. In 1993 she moved to the Town and Country Apartments in Augusta to be near her sisters Etta and Olive. She moved to Walter’s Assisted Living Home in Hallowell in May of 2002. She was awarded the Boston Post Cane for several years while living there. She also was awarded the cane for Whitefield for a year.
She was an avid Boston Red Sox fan and watched their games on television. She also kept records of all the bowling on television. She enjoyed picking wild berries, doing handiwork, baking molasses cookies for everyone who came in, and going on automobile rides with her nieces and nephews. She made quilts for all the babies in the family. She also took care of many members of the family.
She was a former member of the Whitefield Union Church, Helping Hand Society, and The Fire Auxiliary in King Mills. She cut all the homemade pies for all these organizations’ public suppers.
On her 100th birthday she was presented the United States Flag that flew over the State House that day in honor of her birthday.
She was predeceased by her parents; six sisters, Susie Shafer, Blanche Creamer, Etta Morrill, Olive Glidden, Ella Jones, and Marguerite Larrabee; and six brothers, Glendon, James Leroy, George, Charles Richard, Warren, and Lester Russell.
She is survived by several cousins, and many nieces and nephews.
Per Florence’s wishes there will be no visiting hours. Funeral services 1 p.m., Thurs., April 3 at Staples Funeral Home, 53 Brunswick Ave., Gardiner. Burial in the family lot in Whitefield Cemetery later this spring.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to Kings Mills Union Hall Committee, P.O. Box 49, Whitefield, ME 04353 or to a charity of your choice.
