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RUSSELL, MARIE ELIZABETH GIBBS, 80
RUSSELL, MARIE ELIZABETH GIBBS, 80, died February 6 in Bellingham, Wash., due to complications of Alzheimer's disease. Marie Elizabeth Gibbs was born Oct. 19, 1932, in Stowe, to Kenneth and Martha Thurston Gibbs. She graduated from Waterbury High School in 1950. She married Vern Ray Russell June 2, 1951, in Virginia. They lived in Waterbury then moved to Custer, Wash., in 1959. They later divorced, and she and her youngest six children moved back to Waterbury. On March 9, 1973, she married Lawrence "Bucky" Charland. They later divorced. While in Vermont, she worked at the National Life Insurance Co. In 1980, she moved to Seattle, Wash., where she was employed by Ward's Cove Packing Co. for many years. She eventually retired to Custer in 1993 and in 1998 developed Alzheimer's disease and began living in assisted care facilities. She loved dancing several times a week at the local senior center. She collected music boxes and loved her dogs, Samantha and Peaches. When she was in good health, she enjoyed taking her older grandchildren on trips. She is survived by a brother, Paul (Sue) Gibbs, of Orange City, Fla.; a sister, Joan Duffy, of Waterbury Center; seven sons, Steve Russell and Chris Russell, of Ferndale, Wash., Lloyd Russell, of Custer, Wash., Floyd (Dawn) Russell, Mark Russell and Tim Russell, of Waterbury Center, and Valor (Lorie) Russell, of Grangeville, Idaho; one daughter, Teresa Russell, of Ferndale, Wash.; one stepson, Larry (Lisa) Charland, of Fairfax; 20 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; infant brother, Warner; ex-husbands, Vern Russell and Lawrence Charland; and a sister, Lorraine Sarabia.
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