Esther Mae Russell, 89, went to be with her Lord and Savior at 2:15pm, Wednesday, March 23, 2016 at Morrison Woods Health Campus in Muncie, IN.
She was born May 19, 1926 in Delaware County, Muncie, IN to Charles and Marie Irvin. She graduated from Royerton High School in 1944.
Esther loved being a wife, friend, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She enjoyed homemaking, camping and traveling to see her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her most memorable trip was to go with her husband to Nairobi, Kenya to visit her daughter and son-in-law who were missionaries.
She worked at Wayside Missions and was a life-time member of New Neighbors Home Ed Club. She was a faithful member of the Muncie Grace Baptist Church where she was nursery coordinator for 35 years.
She is survived by her loving husband of 71 years, Jim, daughters Barbara Rector, Albany, IN, Marilyn Bell (husband Kenneth) Box Elder, SD, Cynthia Goral (husband Ray), Lithopolis, OH, Loretta Weeks (husband Linnie) Kingston, NH and niece, Lisa Cart (husband Denny) Jonesboro, IN, brothers, Joe Irvin (wife Norma) St, Clair, MI and George Irvin, Chico, CA.
She has 11 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and by one granddaughter, Anita Jenkins.
Services will be held Saturday, March 26, 2016 at 10:00 am. at Garden View Funeral Home, 10501 N Indiana 3, Muncie, Indiana with Pastor Rory Bond officiating. Burial will be in Gardens of Memory Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Friday, March 25, 2016 at the funeral home.
Online condolences may be made at www.gardenviewfuneralhome.com