Jeanne Russack

Ruth Jeanne Lindsay Wilson Russack
Jeanne Russack was born in Chicago, III. on July 12, 1926. She passed away at home in Hiawassee Ga. on October 20, 2021, at age 95. She was surrounded by family & loved ones. Mom loved people. She was involved in many activities & knew a lot of people. She loved to travel & spent over 20 years taking groups of people all over the world. She loved to fish. This love started young, fishing with her father & later her mother. Another love was shooting her 22. When she was young she even shot her initials in the neighbor’s car door. More recently she loved watching birds & squirrels at our feeders, loving her cats, watching the beautiful sunsets, going for a car ride everyday & listening to family stories. One of our favorite stories was about Christmas morning. Mom made us each a flannel nightgown every year. We got them on Christmas morning, put them on, & then went down the stairs to see what was under the tree. Ann always knew what she was getting as she would sneak downstairs late at night & open her presents enough to see what was in them & then wrap them back up.
Mom's accomplishments were many, & started at an early age, when she was named "Camper of the Year" at Camp Cheley in Estes Park Colorado. Later she graduated from Depaw University. She survived two marriages & numerous illnesses, including 5 unrelated cancers. She had 2 daughters & was unmistakably a world class mother. She raised her kids in Connecticut. She was divorced when we were in college. She sold real estate so we could finish college.
Mom remarried, & moved to Pompano Beach, Florida where her Mom & Stepfather lived. They were both in a nursing facility, so Mom wanted to be close enough to take care of them. Later Mom joined the "Pink Church" in Pompano Beach. She was involved in everything there. She ran a grief support group that later became a travel group. She was a Stephens minister & she sang in several choirs, one at church & one at Nova University. Mom traveled through Europe with the Nova Singers. Mom was also a member of the Coast Guard Auxiliary as a rescuer & educator. She and her husband received the highest civilian award for rescuing a large boat full of people during a storm. Mom later moved into a retirement community after her husband died. She was involved in endless activities there as well as being a board member. Mom did over 2 years of hurricane relief work after hurricane Andrew. Mom's stress relief & entertainment was fishing. She loved going out on the Helen S, a charter boat, after she got rid of her own. She always put money in the pot and frequently won the pot for catching the largest fish. She could out fish most anyone, at any time. Our favorite quote from Mom was "Get the lines back out.” I took care of Mom for almost 7 years 24/7. Her passing has left a big hole in my heart, and in my sisters. Mom & I played Yahtzee in the morning & evening every day. I made Mom promise to come back every evening & play a game with me. I haven't seen her yet but I am using her dice now & have started winning a few games finally, much to Ann’s dismay. I see this as hope for the future. Wouldn’t you?