Sara Frances (Anderson) Russell

Sara Frances Anderson Russell died Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017, at her home in Macon County. After a brief illness, she danced through the gates of Heaven and into the waiting arms of her beloved Pete.

Sara was born Nov. 13, 1926, and grew up in Montgomery, Ala. She always loved helping people and spent many years as a nurse to Dr. Kayser, an orthopedic surgeon in Montgomery. When she met William Morgan “Pete” Russell, Jr., a lawyer from Tuskegee, she knew her life would be spent with him. After marrying in March 1962, Sara and Pete had three children, Sara Frances “Sally” Russell of Atlanta, Ga.; Mary Relfe Russell Torrey (Marcus) of Pullman, Wash.; and William Morgan “Pete” Russell, III, (Deise) of Montgomery; and two grandchildren Oliver Nelson Torrey and Sara Frances Torrey. She and Pete were married for more than 55 years here on Earth, and she was heartbroken after he died a little more than a year before her. She adored and is survived by her family and her countless friends – young and old – especially Donna Durham,the family’s longtime secretary and devoted friend, and special friends Bernice Philpot and Angela Porter, who gave her faithful and loving care.

Though Pete always worked in Tuskegee, Sara and Pete lived for many decades in Auburn, Ala., where their children grew up and where the family attended Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. While in Auburn, they maintained the Russell family antebellum home on The Farm in Macon County, spending most weekends there. When their children finished school, they moved full-time to the farm. As was their wish, both Pete and Sara passed away at The Farm.

Sara had undeniable spunk and a sense of humor like no one else. She was always ready with a funny anecdote or song. She enjoyed her life enormously and stepped on the gas when she passed a cemetery. She was a devoted Episcopalian, and her funeral service will be held at Grace Episcopal Church, 906 Pike Road, Pike Road, Ala., on Friday, Sept. 8, 2017, at 2:00 p.m., with the burial following at the Tuskegee Cemetery.

Sara had many dogs throughout her life, and she loved people almost as much as she loved her dogs. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Rescue K911, P.O. Box 862, Auburn, AL 36831.

 Service Information