Margie Russell

Margie Russell was born May 11, 1948 to Clay and Jean Bader of Mancos, CO. They lived in town until 1960 then moved up to the ranch. She returned to the house in town in 1981 to raise her family. During her youth, in the Mancos Schools, she was very active in Cheerleading, Methodist Youth Fellowship, Rainbow Girls, and Band. She graduated from Mancos High School in 1966 and earned a Bachelors degree from Fort Lewis College. She went on to teach in New Mexico then lived in Colorado Springs. She was enticed back into Mancos to teach by Howard Culp and Julio Archuleta, where she soon met Larry. She received her Masters Degree from Western State in 1980. Margie taught in the Mancos Schools for over twenty years. Larry and Margie married in 1981 and were blessed with three children; Erica Lynn in February of 1982, Rachel Renee in May of 1984, and Kent Martin in November of 1985. Margie was very involved in all Mancos School activities, attended school functions and kept score and the clock for many volleyball and basketball games. She was a member of PEO, DAR, CSPERA, MASA, and the Methodist Church, serving in a leadership role in most of these over the years. Margie enjoyed traveling with Larry and her parents. They followed their childrens college activities and subsequent job locales. Family trips to watch Kent play football in Chadron, NE were a favorite. She and Larry were especially proud of their Belgrade son, Vladimir Otasevich, as he graduated from CSU and moved to California with his wife and raised two sons. Margie was always proud of the Mancos community, and its students, and bled blue her whole life. Margie and Larry both retired from teaching in 2010 and she continued to sub and support the Mancos Schools. She loved to spend time in the mountains and the cabin with family and friends. She also loved to travel and went on several girls trips to Santa Fe and Cancun. She and Larry went on trips to Belgrade and Dutch Harbor, Alaska in recent years. Margie is preceded in death by her parents, Clay and Jean Bader. She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Larry; and her children, Erica (Erick Holm) now of Mancos, Rachel (Brent McWhirter) of Mancos, and Kent (fiance Amber Guitard) of Unalaska, Alaska; and her brother Kelly Bader (Randi)of Kim, CO. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorials be donated to the Mancos Centennial Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 26, Cortez, CO 81321, Mancos United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 505, Mancos, CO 81328, and Hospice of Montezuma.