Obituary: Paullette “Paully” Russell
Celebration of life to be held on Sunday, May 24
On Dec. 16, 2025, the world lost a master gardener, a peacock tamer, and a woman who was never afraid to speak her mind. Paullette “Paully” Russell, 71, passed away peacefully after experiencing a life-altering stroke, leaving behind a legacy of open doors, full hearts, and strong opinions.
Paully did things her own way. She was beautifully stubborn – a trait that came in handy whether she was raising kids, fixing a broken appliance with duct tape, or, in her final year, battling and beating cancer. She married the love of her life, Wesley Russell, on Aug. 4, 1975. They held the wedding on a Monday for one reason only: to ensure their coworkers would be free to join the party. Despite the melting summer heat, it launched a 50-year partnership filled with love and noise.
Paully’s resume was eclectic: bookkeeper, Scout leader, artist, substitute teacher, and bird watcher. But her true calling was “Bonus Mom.” Running her home daycare for over 40 years, she raised hundreds of community children alongside her own four kids. She was the mom who surrendered the partially finished basement to her children, allowing them to transform the space into discos, movie theaters, and game rooms to suit their every desire. She was the host who welcomed you for Saturday potlucks, Magic: The Gathering tournaments, and holiday feasts. She loved her cats, her garden, and a good dollar store bargain – roughly in that order.
She is reunited now with her sons, Brian and Benjamin; her parents, Anatole and Bertha Lacourse; her in-laws, Carroll and Bette Russell; and her nephew, Steven Russell.
Paully’s spirit lives on through her husband, Wesley Russell; her son, Christopher Russell, and his wife, Maryann; her daughter, Laura Rice, and her husband, Dean; her daughter-in-law, Andrea Russell; her grandchildren, Nicholas, Steven, Izzy, Ellie, and Charles; and her best friend, Mary Hemingway. She also leaves behind many beloved in-laws, nieces and the “bonus kids” who found a home in her heart.
We would like to thank the UVM Medical Center nurses for their support and for having the appropriate amount of humor during our last few days.
Please join us for a celebration of life on Sunday, May 24, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Buck Ridge Barns in Hinesburg, Vermont. We look forward to honoring Paully’s memory together when the flowers she loved are budding. A silent auction featuring some of Paully’s art will be held, with all proceeds benefiting the American Heart Association.