Obituary of Shirley A. Russell
Shirley A. Russell passed away on April 27th, 2025. Shirley was born in Johnstown PA on August 19, 1929 to Frederica (Schneider) and Harold Melvin Griffith. She grew up in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada where her father was the Chairman of the Board and CEO of Stelco Steel Corporation. Shirley earned an Associate’s degree from Stephens College in Columbia MO and a Bachelor’s degree from George Washington University where she majored in Foreign Affairs. During the 1950’s, she was employed by the Free Europe Committee. After raising her children, she worked for many years at the Presbytery of Hudson River in Peekskill, NY.
On a trip to Fire Island with her girlfriends in the late 1950’s she met the love of her life, George Russell, and they were married in 1960. They settled in Katonah NY where they raised their three sons.
Shirley was a true patron of the arts and routinely attended the Metropolitan Opera, Broadway shows, museums and she particularly loved attending events at Caramoor. She enjoyed attending church on Sunday’s and was very active in her community where she was a member of the League of Women Voters, and was a regular volunteer at Northern Westchester Hospital for many years. She was a true friend who, in her 80’s, thought nothing of getting in her car and driving 10 hours to Canada to visit old friends. She was a member of Les Girls, a group of girlfriends who, over the course of decades, would regularly get together for lunch, dinner or a movie night.
Shirley was predeceased by her husband George in 2013. She is survived by her sons, Andrew (Carolyn), David (Laureen), and Ian (Moonjung) and 2 grandsons, Duncan and Charlie. There will be a private memorial service.
Memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s Association are appreciated.
