Caramel A. Russell

Caramel A. Russell passed December 26, 2011 after a lengthy illness. She accepted Christ at an early age and remained active in various church ministries for the remainder of her life. She was enjoying her retirement for the last few years with travel and recreational activities as a cheerful member of the “Ward Family YMCA Active Older Adults” program. Caramel was preceded in death by her parents, Ruth and Benjamin Alston and a brother, Douglas Alston. She leaves to cherish her memory her husband, Dr. Joseph J. Russell, daughter, Cassandra Russell-Isiguzo (Alan), grandson, Alan-Russell Isiguzo, Love daughter, Debora Johnson-Seabrook (Jeffrey), sister, Ruth Dennis-Phillip, three brothers, Benjamin (Claudette), Calvin (Carolyn), and Leo J. Dennis, numerous other relatives and friends. Caramel received her early education in the Richmond Public Schools and continued her studies earning a bachelers degree in education from Virginia Union University, Richmond, Va., and Masters in education from Indiana University, Bloomington, IN. She spent her professional life as a teacher in both middle and high schools before joining university faculty and staff at Indiana University (Bloomington, IN) and The Ohio State University, (Columbus, OH) as an academic counselor and coordinator of the Minority Students Mentoring Program. Her drive, passion and success in her professional life led her students to affectionately crown her “Mother Culture” in appreciation for her understanding and guidance of students with academic challenges.