Lela Mae Russell

Lela M. (Ford) Russell of Kalkaska, died Tuesday morning, October 25, 2016 at her residence in the Green House of Kalkaska Memorial Health Center. She passed surrounded by the loving and generous Green House staff and with her favorite caregiver. Lela was born on April 23, 1930 in Danville, Illinois and lived in both Chicago and Kentucky before moving to Michigan, and later Maryland. She returned to Michigan in 1977 where she spent the remainder of her life first in southwestern Michigan and then in Antrim and Kalkaska counties. Lela served the United Methodist Church as pastor’s wife and educator at churches in Kentucky, Illinois and Michigan. She worked for many years as an Administrative Assistant for businesses both large and small, including Community Hospital in Watervliet, MI and the American Cooking Institute in St. Joseph. She also worked for a number of years at First of America Bank (now PNC) while living in northwestern Michigan. She loved sewing, knitting, reading and cooking, and was famous for her pies. Lela loved spending time with her family and helped in the homeschooling of her beloved granddaughter, Raechel Lenz. She also lead spiritual retreats and women’s gatherings for many years and enjoyed and was nourished by many friendships within her community and lately within the staff of Eden Center and the Green House of KMHC. Lela is survived by two daughters, Ruth (Richard) Lenz and Rebecca (Timothy) Finch both of Mancelona, granddaughter Raechel Lens of Kalkaska, step-grandson Michael Finch of Seminole, FL, as well as two nephews and a niece. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Marine PFC Lowell Ford, during WWII, and an infant brother, Bobby Lee Ford. A gathering to celebrate and honor Lela’s life will be held Sunday, November 13, 2016 at 1:30 pm at the CETA Hall, 6615 County Road 612, Kalkaska. Please contact the family with any questions. Memorial contributions may be made to Lela’s favorite charity Doctors Without Borders (doctorswithoutborders.org, the ecard to rlenz@norcocmh.org) or locally to Kalkaska Memorial Health Center’s Eden Center/Green House. Please note any specific department or project and Lela’s name. Arrangements entrusted to Kalkaska Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Lela Mae Russell

April 23, 1930 - October 25, 2016