Darlena L. Russell's Obituary
Darlena L. Russell, 50, of Cleveland, peacefully passed away with her family by her side on January 9, 2018 following a courageous battle with cancer.
She was born in Cleveland, the beloved daughter of Bobby Joe Sr. and Thelma McMahan Conley. Darlena is the loving mother of Stephanie and Brandon Russell; dear sister of the late Bobby Joe Jr., who predeceased her on December 19, 2015; adored aunt of Devon Conley; best friend of Diane Shorb.
Darlena attended Baldwin Wallace University majoring in Psychology with a minor in English. She was two classes shy of her Bachelor’s degree when she was diagnosed. She was determined to see her children grow and develop into young adults. She is the very proud mother of two United States Air Force Airmen.
Her favorite poem was by Robert Frost: The Road Not Taken
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
The family will receive friends on Monday, January 15, 2018 from 4PM-8PM in the Chapel at Sunset Memorial Park, 6245 Columbia Rd., North Olmsted, where funeral services will commence on Tuesday at 10AM. Interment to follow at Sunset Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of the Western Reserve, 17876 St. Clair Ave., Cleveland 44110.
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