Marydel Valentine (Johnson) Russell

Marydel Valentine (nee Johnson) Russell, 91, a resident of Glen Burnie for over 35 years died on December 24, 2020 at Baltimore Washington Medical Center.

She was born at home in Dorchester County, Maryland on February 14, 1929 to the late Nannie Jane (nee Spedden) and Herman Sidney Johnson, Sr..

Mrs. Russell moved to Baltimore as a young child and resided with her sister and brother in law in Baltimore. She graduated from Eastern High School in Baltimore in 1947.  She also married in 1947 and began her own family in the Lauraville area of Baltimore and also maintained a summer home starting in 1960 on Nabbs Creek in Glen Burnie. She and her husband eventually purchased a permanent home on the other side of Nabbs Creek and moved to Anne Arundel County in the mid 1980's.

She was a member of Hamilton Presbyterian Church in Baltimore from 1947 until moving to Glen Burnie and joined the Harundale Presbyterian Church in the mid 1980's.  She was also a member of the Retirees for AllFirst and M&T Bank.

Mrs. Russell worked for Thomney's Pharmacy in her teens, then for Standard Oil before starting a family. In1960, she re-entered the workforce at First National Bank of Maryland in Baltimore in the Proof Department and continued when the bank became AllFirst.  She worked her way to becoming a bank security officer researching check fraud and bank robberies and eventually ATM troubleshooting and security as technology advanced.  Mrs. Russell retired in 1991 after 31 years of service.

Her hobbies included watching Orioles' games, cooking and baking, crabbing, rock fishing, gardening and canning.  Above all else, she loved her family who affectionately called her "MeMom" and "Meem", and loved gathering with them for holidays.

In addition to her parents she is preceded in death by her beloved husband Robert L. Russell, Sr., her son Robert L. Russell, Jr., her granddaughter Kimberly Russell Doyle, ber great granddaughter Olivia Russell, her "other parents"/sister and brother in law Sadie Louise (nee Johnson) North and Herbert North Sr. and her other siblings Phillip Johnson, Sidney Johnson, Calvert 'Skeeter' Johnson, Ira 'Sarge' Johnson, Estelle (nee Johnson) LeCompte, Virginia (nee Johnson) Frase, Joseph Johnson.

She is survived by brother Kenneth Johnson, two daughters Patricia Barrett (son in-law Gary Barrett Sr.) and Margaret Bayne (son in-law Donald Bayne), and son George Russell (daughter in-law Patricia Russell), daughter-in-law Penny (nee Brown) Russell, nine grandchildren Robert L. Russell III, Gary Barrett Jr. Carey Barrett Domena, Jeffrey Russell, Julianne Russell, Eric Bayne, Alexandra Bayne Greenwood, Margery Bayne, and Mark Bayne, nine great grandchildren Lily and Leia Russell, Brody and Colton Domena, Caroline and Eliza Greenwood, and Bruce, Clara & Arwen Bayne, niece Mary Ann (nee North) Booker and her children and grandchildren, nephew Herbert North Jr. and many other nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family members.

Friends may call on Friday, January 8, 2021 from 3:00 to 7:00 PM at the Stallings Funeral Home, P.A. where funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2021 at 10:00 AM.  Interment Glen Haven Memorial Park.  The service will be live streamed on the obituary page and Stallings Funeral Home's Facebook page (click HERE).

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in her memory to Harundale Presbyterian Church 1020 East Way Glen Burnie, MD 21060 or St. Peters Elementary 7910 Belair Road Baltimore, MD 21236 or Open Bible Christian Academy online by clicking here or Autism Speaks by clicking here

Please be aware that, due to county-mandated COVID-19 restrictions, Stallings Funeral Home is only allowing 40 people in the building at a time and face coverings must be worn while inside.