On Thursday, May 23, 2024, Martha Rawson Russell, 85, returned to her Father in Heaven following a lingering illness.  She was surrounded by her husband, brother and sister-in-law as she transitioned into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father.

Martha was born in St. Anthony, Idaho on June 6, 1938 to Leslie LeRoy Rawson and Sarah Elizabeth Wright.  The 7th of 10 children, Martha grew up in St. Anthony and attended Central Elementary and South Fremont High School.  She attended Ricks College in Rexburg where she received an Associate's Degree.

Martha was great with numbers.  She loved the challenge of number games and mathematical equations along with any kind of puzzles.  This interest led into her career as a bookkeeper and accounting/billing specialist.  She worked for several doctors, dentists and other businesses before going to work for the State of Idaho Child Protective Services from where she retired.

Martha loved to sing as a child.  She sang in school choirs and continued to share her soprano voice in many Ward and Stake choirs and productions.  Many moms were thankful for her being a "baby whisperer" to quiet their fussy babies on Sundays in Relief Society.

Sports were a love of Martha's.  In school, she played on the softball and volleyball teams and enjoyed attending sporting events that came with High School life.  It was at one of the school football games that South Fremont played against Shelly High School that she met the love of her life, Vernon John Russell, in 1955.  Over the next four years she continued to be Vern's pen pal while he served his country in the U.S. Air Force.  When Vernon returned from service, he realized she was the eternal companion that he wanted to share his life with.  Martha and Vernon married on May 25th, 1959 and remained sweethearts for 65 years.

Martha's love of sports continued through her whole life.  She played Travel Softball as the team manager and catcher as they traveled throughout Wyoming, Montana, and other nearby states.  She loved playing volleyball and bowling. She bowled on several bowling teams, participating in tournaments all over Idaho and in Utah.

Martha was an essential leader in the building of local baseball and softball leagues in Montana so that her children and other youth could learn the essential lessons cultivated through team sports.  She was effective in building up many Young Women, Wards, and Stakes Women's sports programs in the areas she attended church, serving as the Sports Specialist and Coach.  She loved playing as well and did so long into her life.

Due to her love of kids, Martha drove school bus when in Billings, Montana, Meridian, Idaho and St. Anthony, Idaho.  She would frequently comment that she loved that work most of all.  The family often heard, "I remember Martha, she was my bus driver!"

Martha loved her family as a mother of three children.  She also become a surrogate "mom" to many of her children's friends.  Her home was always open and her ear always listening.  Her heart and arms were always available to anyone that needed the extra care she could give.  She was the friend to those who needed a friend most, the first to speak up for the one who was singled out and she was the one who sat by you if you sat alone in a crowd.

Martha was a big support for her husband's talent in art.  Through this support she made many friends at their art shows and events.  They traveled to many places across the Western U.S. and enjoyed their companionship together.

In late Summer of 2023, Martha moved to Homestead Senior Living in Rexburg with her sweetheart.  We appreciate and are grateful for the amazing staff and caregivers at the Homestead and Homestead Home Health and Hospice for the love and care they provided to our family's sweetheart, mom, grandma and great grandma.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents, four brothers, William, Bert, Richard and Ed and two older sisters, Mary and Florence.
Martha is survived by her husband, Vernon John Russell; Son, Rick (Kathie) Russell of Hackensack, Minnesota; Son, Howard (Sue) Russell of Meridian, Idaho; Daughter, Laurie (Alexander) Black of Mesa, Arizona; twelve grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren.  She is also survived by brothers Charles Rawson of Sugar-Salem, Alvin Rawson of Iona, and sister Lyla Prather of St. Anthony.

Funeral Services will be held Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 11:00 am in the St. Anthony LDS Stake Center, 247 E. 4th N.  The family will receive close family and friends for viewing on Wednesday, May 29th from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm and Thursday from 10:00 am until 10:45 am both times at the Stake Center.  Interment will be in the Wilford Cemetery under the direction of Bert Flamm Mortuary.

Funeral Service Livestream