Marieta "Rita" Ione Russell

Marieta “Rita” Ione Russell

April 7, 1948 - March 9, 2025

Marieta “Rita” Ione Russell, age 76, loving wife of Larry Lee Russell of Cherokee, Oklahoma passed away at Bass Baptist Hospital in Enid on March 9, 2025 after a 2 year battle with cancer. Rita was born in Cherokee, Oklahoma on April 7, 1948 to Burley Groves and Edith Parsons. She attended Cherokee High School through eighth grade and later achieved her GED the same year as her daughter, Fawnda, graduated high school in 1984.

Rita met the love of her life, Larry Russell, at one of the establishments she was working at and a year or so later were married on horseback on April 26, 1981 at the feedyard in Cherokee. Rita brought with her to the marriage two sons, Rick and Cody, and a daughter, Fawnda, and she gained a step-daughter, Tammy Butcher and step-son, Shannon Russell. Although Rita never considered them as step but rather saw them as equal to her own. Rita also gained a sister-in-law, Joyce Littrell and niece Tara Cox, along with a long list of cousins and other family members.

Over the years, Rita enjoyed helping Larry at the feedlot, working in numerous bars, including Cattlemans, Crabtree Correctional Facility in Helena, and enjoyed being a housewife in later years. Rita thoroughly enjoyed becoming a grandmother numerous times over the years and watching her family grow. She enjoyed attending any grandchild’s event she could make it to, whether that be birthdays, weddings, sporting events, and graduations. Rita has enjoyed spending time with the local RedHat ladies, having breakfast and coffee with the local gossip club, and rescuing any animal in town in need of a home.

Rita is survived by her husband, Larry Russell of Cherokee; children Rick Russell and wife, Brandi, Cody Russell and wife, Lanette, and Fawnda Martin and fiancé, Rusty Feely; twenty grand-children and nineteen great-grandchildren.

Rita is preceded in death by her grandmother, Clara Failes; parents, Burley Groves and Edith Parsons; her Aunt Marieta and Uncle Don Leslie; Aunt Corky; her Uncle Everett Hale and Aunt Ruby; Uncle Garney and Aunt Jo Failes; cousin, Rick Failes, and son-in-law, Marty Martin.

Memorial service will be held at the Cherokee Methodist Church on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at 2:00 PM. Arrangements are by Lanman Funeral Home, Inc. www.lanmanfuneralhome.com Facebook: Lanman Funeral Home Inc.  Viewing will be Friday 10:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. with family present from 4:00 until 6:00.

Memorial donations may be made in Rita’s name to the American Cancer Society.