Obituary: Russel, Nola Doreeta (Tarbert)
Nola was born in Twisp, WA in January 1931 to Clyde Oliver and Dortha Delores (Brannan) Tarbert.
She lived until she was five years old in Peach, WA.
She then lived until her early teen years on an acreage her parents purchased in the foothills of Mt.
Spokane when the family farmstead disappeared under the Columbia River reservoir behind the new Grand Coulee Dam.
The family eventually moved to the Spokane Valley where Nola graduated from West Valley High School.
She married Ray T. Russel, the love of her life, in November 1950, having first met him years earlier when she was riding the local into downtown Spokane to work as a candy striper with a friend, and Ray was the bus driver.
They lived in Spokane for a time and enjoyed gardening, dancing and traveling.
She worked for dry cleaners and insurance offices while Ray began driving for Greyhound Bus Lines.
They moved to Kettle Falls for his job; when she walked into the Colville, WA State Employment office to look for work, Nola ended up working for them, with only a few years break to raise their daughter Wendy, until retirement from the Spokane office in 1991.
They moved back to Spokane in 1959, to a house in the Spokane Valley.
They still enjoyed gardening, traveling, visiting friends around Washington State, refurbishing the foothills property they acquired in 1971 (where she had lived years before) and snowmobiling there for many years.
Nola especially loved tending her rose garden with as many as thirty varieties grown each summer.
When Ray retired early from Greyhound, they became enthusiastic walkers and golfers and Nola eventually walked in several Bloomsdays, accompanied by friends or daughter Wendy.
Nola loved dogs and gladly spoiled her grand-dogs along with her own.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Ray of 53 years and far too many dear friends and beloved dogs.
She is survived by her brothers Mel (Maudie) Tarbert of Chattaroy, WA and Terry (Susan) Tarbert of Kingston, WA; daughter Wendy R.R.
Burroughs (CDR, USNR-Retired) (Bruce Burroughs, LCDR, USN-Retired) of Butler County, Iowa; numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.
A Memorial Service will take place 1PM Friday, September 26, 2014 at Heritage Chapel.
In lieu of flowers the family asks that memorial contributions in memory of Nola go to Cancer Care Northwest Foundation, 1204 N. Vercler, Suite 101, Spokane Valley, WA 99216 or to Adams County Pet Rescue, P.O.
Box 612, Othello, WA 99344.