Iris Dorothy Russell

Iris Dorothy Boswell Moyle Russell, wife of Alvah A. "Skip" Russell Jr. of Glastonbury, died Monday, June 16, 2014 at home in Glastonbury. She was 87. She was born Jan. 17, 1927 in Hartford to Evelyn (Zinck) Boswell and John Boswell. She lived in Torrington for 30 years and in Glastonbury for the past 19 years. Iris graduated from the University of Connecticut with an arts and sciences degree in 1948. She became one of the first female juvenile probation officers, working for the state of Connecticut in Hartford, Bristol and Torrington. She displayed great compassion for troubled children in her 31 years in that position. A strong, independent woman, Iris lived a full, happy life. She was devoted to her family, nature, gardening, volunteering for worthy causes, bowling, her cats, the UConn women's basketball team and waiting for the hummingbirds to come back in the spring. Besides her husband, Iris is survived by stepson Lee Russell of Glastonbury and stepson Larry Meacham and his partner, Richard Rapoza, of San Francisco; cousins Ann Moffett, Judy Hogue and Iris Harnish, all of Canada; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Dan and Betty Russell of East Hartford; brother-in-law David and sister-in-law Ruth Russell of Manchester and numerous Russell nieces and nephews. She also leaves her nephew, William Orme, his wife Lisa and their daughter Annalisa, all of Windsor; her niece Katherine Farrish, her husband Thomas and daughters Amanda and Alison, all of Tolland; her niece Carol Orme Hughes, her husband Patrick, and their sons, Kyle, Ryan and Tyler, all of Somers; her sister-in-law Shirley Moyle of Harwich, Mass.; her niece Susan Moyle Lynch, her husband Michael and their children, Andrew and Catherine, all of Manhattan, NY; her niece Sarah Moyle of Harwich, Mass., and her niece Cindy Moyle Swick, her husband George, and their children, Emily, Jonathan and Jennifer, of Plymouth, Mass. Iris was pre-deceased by her parents, her first husband, Kent Moyle; her brother-in-law Wallace Moyle, her sister-in-law Patricia Moyle Orme and her brother-in-law William A. Orme Jr. Her family would like to thank Ann Moffett, Ron Wilcox and Marc and Garnet Venables for providing fantastic support and caregiving throughout Iris' illness. A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 28 at 11 a.m. at the Buckingham Congregational Church, 16 Cricket Lane, Glastonbury, CT 06033. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to Buckingham Congregational Church or the John A. DeQuattro Cancer Center, 100 Haynes St., Manchester, CT 06040.The funeral arrangements are in care of Watkins Funeral Home in Manchester. To leave a message of condolence, please visit www.holmes-watkinsfuneralhomes.com

Service DetailsSaturday, June 28th, 2014 11:00am, Buckingham Congregational Church