Judith Russell, 84, of Lakeville/Burnsville, passed away on August 9, 2023. A Funeral Service will be held for Judy on Tuesday, August 15, 2023, at Ballard-Sunder Funeral and Cremation in Prior Lake (4565 Pleasant St.) starting at 10:30am. A visitation will be held prior to the service from 10-10:30 at the funeral home. Judy will be laid to rest at Lakewood Cemetery following the service.
On June 23, 1939, middle-child Judy was born to Raymond and Jennie Kausel and brought many smiles and adventurous days to their Northeast Minneapolis home. She was self-described as shy at first but soon grew very independent and spoke up with feeling at a time when it was less common. A keen observer of people, she watched and listened to parents’ as they built a business and entertained often for their successful Kausel Foundry established with uncle Chuck. She learned golf, tennis, and manners at a young age through Midland Hills Country Club and passed down an appreciation for all three. She attended Alexander Ramsey High School and graduated in 1957. Her favorite childhood pastime, though, was spending entire summers on Forest Lake with sister Nancy and brother John. Their deep connection and celebrations there carried into adulthood. The three siblings would build houses very near each other, moving Grandma Jennie to the suburbs, to raise children in the same Burnsville/Eagan schools and continue to celebrate holidays together for two decades.
Judy met and fell in love with Stan Russell while still in high school. He was 11 years older and attending the University of Minnesota after service in the Korean War. She was tagging along with her older sister and then allowed to date him only if Nancy chaperoned…so great thanks to her! The country-club girl then married the countryman who was raised on a farm with four brothers in Kensington, MN, on October 14, 1961. Their marriage was filled with joy and hard-work raising Jeff, Bill, Kim, and Julie while they entertained neighbors together, coached and carpooled for sports, flooded the yard for winter skating, and partnered so Stan could travel in sales and manage Westwood Sport and Bike while Judy ran a tight ship at home. They were introduced to Jesus in 1971 and Judy attended Bible Study Fellowship weekly for years, sharing her faith with her kids and encouraging them with hopefulness in prayer.
In 1980, Judy found and started a great job that would bless her long after retiring 20 years later. Her sweet phone voice and organizational skills served well as an Executive Assistant at Blue Cross Blue Shield. She earned her own nestegg to carry them to Florida where they spent five years of sun and fun before Stan passed in 2006. She then moved back home to be closer to grandkids and even work part-time again to keep busy. Her other pastime was watching sports. She would stay up all night to watch golf and tennis matches around the world and then share all the context of the people and teams that others missed out on. She sent many “heads up” texts to be sure to watch or record a game at a certain time.
Sweetly inquisitive and thoughtful, Judy’s “check-ins” will be greatly missed. Her commitment to keeping family connected and healthy will be greatly missed by her children, Jeffrey Russell, William Russell, Kimberly (Peer) Finstad, Julie Pederson; grandchildren, Charlie, Connor, Ryan, Emmett, Elsa, Anja, and Nora; great-grandchildren, Leo, Ellie, and Maria; sister, Nancy McElligott; and many other loving relatives and friends. Judy is preceded in death by her loving husband; Stan Russell; parents, Raymond and Jennie Kausel; brother, John Kausel; and brother-in-law, John McElligott.
