Betty Russell

Betty Watson Russell - devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother - passed away peacefully on July 21, 2018, at the age of 89.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, July 24, 2018 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA and Wednesday morning, from 9:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. The service begins at 11:00 a.m. and interment will be in the Resthaven Gardens of Memory following the service.

Betty was born in 1928 in Greensburg, Louisiana and grew up on her family's dairy farm. Betty married the love of her life, Thomas LeRoy "Roy" Russell, in 1948. They had a daughter and three sons.
Not one to shy away from hard work, Betty and her husband, Roy, founded Russell Pool Co. in 1963 and also managed and maintained several properties and businesses that she and Roy owned. As the strong and supportive matriarch, she instilled the value of hard work and the importance of family to their three sons, Tommy, Darrell, and Keith, and their daughter, Mona.

Betty loved to cook and would make sure that everyone had more than enough on their plate, but when the kitchen was closed, the kitchen was closed. Known as Maw Maw to her grandchildren, she and Roy took their grandchildren, on. unforgettable trips to Disney World, Dollywood, Gatlinburg and Colorado in their motor home and spent many Saturdays over the years at Tiger Stadium enjoying time with family and friends. Always a class act, Betty's hair was always done and her nails painted red.

Betty is survived by her sons - Tommy and wife Brenda Russell, Darrell and wife Lisa Russell, Keith and wife Tina Russell; their daughter - Mona and husband Bill Sappenfield; her grandchildren - Lee and wife Monica Russell, Cynthia and husband Jonathan Segal, Elizabeth and husband Darren Hess, Jessica and husband Dan Nolan, Jacquelyn Sappenfield, Allison and husband Forest Crump, Sarah and husband Michael Mahaffey, Rebecca and husband Tom Daly, Camille and husband Matthew Cornett, Morgan and husband Matt Banta; her 14 great grandchildren; and brother Emmett Watson and his wife Estelle.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband Roy Russell; her parents - Julius Eugene and Alma Olivia Watson; her sisters - Agnes Watson Hunt and Nell Watson Williams; her brothers - Steward Watson; and her grandson - Taylor Russell.

Those honored to be pallbearers will be - Darren Hess, Jonathan Segal, Dan Nolan, Chris Cummins, Forest Crump, Michael Mahaffey, Matt Banta, Lee Russell, and Eli Crump.

The family would like to recognize and thank her devoted and loving caregiver Donna Bailey as well as the medical teams at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital and the Carpenter House.

Visitation

Resthaven Funeral Home
11817 Jefferson Highway
Baton Rouge, LA  70816
Tuesday, July 24, 2018
6:00 pm-8:00 pm

Resthaven Funeral Home
11817 Jefferson Highway
Baton Rouge, LA  70816
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
9:00 am - 11:00 am

Service

Resthaven Funeral Home
11817 Jefferson Highway
Baton Rouge, LA  70816
Sunday, July 22, 2018
11:00 am

Cemetery

Resthaven Gardens of Memory
11817 Jefferson Highway
Baton Rouge, LA  70816