Ms. Marion Long Russell, age 91, lifelong resident of Maysville, Kentucky, passed away Saturday, April 30, 2022 at 10:06 am.  She had recently suffered a stroke.  Marion was a graduate of Maysville High School.  Upon high school graduation, she attended Ward-Belmont College in Nashville, TN.  She then attended and received a BS in Education from University of Kentucky in 1952.   Following UK, she attended University of Pittsburgh graduating with a BS in Nursing in 1955.

After college Marion traveled to El Paso, Texas where she worked as a registered nurse at a hospital before returning to Hayswood Hospital in Maysville.  At Hayswood she worked as the evening supervisor .  Marion and Mrs. Lyle Franz began the first LPN class at Hayswood Hospital graduating their first class in 1966. In 1970, Marion opened Maysville's first nursing home with the position of Administrator for the Maysville Extended Care Facility.  When she retired from MECF she became the Executive Director of Hayswood Home Health which she held until 2018.  At the age of 88, Marion officially retired from her service in the health industry.

Marion was a member of Delta Zeta sorority at University of Kentucky.  She was a founder and active member of St Luke's Anglican Church serving in the capacity of  chalice bearer , vestry member and treasurer for many years.   Marion held the honor of being the oldest member of the Maysville Country Club where in her younger days earned many awards in their Tuesday Ladies Golf League.  Music and singing were important to her as The Limestone Chorale was founded in 1995 by Marion, Mary Milton (Russell) Anderson and Coralie Runyon Jones.   She continuously worked on the programs and categorizing the music for many years.

In 1985, Marion was named Beta Sigma Phi Lady of the Year and was later commissioned the Kentucky Colonel status twice by two Kentucky govenors.   She served on numerous boards including Limestone Youth Orchestra/Downing Academy and Hayswood Foundation Board.

Marion was a voracious reader especially of  historic fiction concerning the Civil War and even penned several unpublished stories.  She was a photographer of wildflowers, collector of family artifacts, choir member, world traveler and avid bird watcher.

Preceded in death by her parents Christopher Dudley and Irene Willett Russell,  Marion was an only child.  She is survived by her relatives, Luanne Kilgus Mattingly, Christopher Russell (Rusty) Kilgus, Godson Parker Lewis Mattingly, Elexene Russell Mattingly, William Banks Mattingly, David Taulbee Anderson and John Hutchings.

Funeral services will be held at noon Monday, May 9, 2022 at St. Luke's Anglican Church housed in the Trinity Lutheran Church , 621 Parker Road, Maysville with Fr. Chris Beckham officiating.  Burial will be in the Maysville Cemetery.  The visitation will take place at the church one hour before the service.  If desired, friends may make memorial contributions to The Russell Theatre, PO Box 371, Maysville, KY 41056.