Patricia Russell Obituary

Patricia "Pat" A. Russell passed away peacefully early Monday, July 7, 2025 at Coastal Hospice by the Lake. She was born November 12, 1948 in Abbeville, South Carolina to William and Hallie Howard. Pat graduated Cum Laude from Winthrop College, The South Carolina College for Women, in 1970 with a B.S in Business Administration. During college, Pat worked in the Nixon White House to pay for tuition.
While in Washington she repaired ecumenical needlework at the National Cathedral. Pat was an oral historian. Hired by the National Park Service to inventory the waterfowl hunting lodges on Assateague Island, Pat gathered oral histories from the watermen. While living in Whitehaven, Pat was active in the restoration of both the Whitehaven Hotel and the Schoolhouse. Currently residing in the Salisbury University Nabb Center and funded from a grant sponsored by Senator Paul Sarbanes, Pat gathered documents and oral histories of the now defunct shanty boats. Pat was a postal service employee for the Quantico Post Office from 2015 to 2017.
Pat was a devoted animal lover and rescued many cats through the years. She had a passion for Bernese Mountain dogs, namely Thatcher and Vida. She was a lover of period furniture and an avid gardener using native plants and trees.
Pat was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Penny, and a special Aunt Dorothy. She leaves behind extended family, her church family at St. Philips Episcopal Church, her friends, and her beloved cats: SuSu, Pippa, and Buddy, now lovingly cared for by a special friend.
Pat was a member of St. Philips Episcopal Church in recent years. A graveside service will be held Saturday, August 23rd at 2 p.m. St. Philips Episcopal Church, 6457 Quantico Road, Quantico, MD. Following, there will be a reception in the parish hall. All are invited. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Patricia, please visit our floral store.