MELROSE — Phyllis M. (Byette) Russell, 95, passed away at the Woburn Nursing Center in Woburn on Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
Phyllis was born in Boston to the late Alphonse J. and Flora (West) Byette. She was raised in Melrose and graduated from Melrose High School, Class of 1937. A lifelong resident of Melrose, Mrs. Russell was a homemaker who had also worked as a cashier at Cerretani Supermarket for 22 years.
She was a former member of the Knights of Columbus Ladies Auxiliary, a longtime member of St. Mary Church and St. Mary’s Ladies Sodality.
Phyllis loved to read, sew, bake, cook and enjoyed going to all her family’s Little League games.
Mrs. Russell enjoyed traveling to Europe and Nova Scotia and at the age of 88 she did the Easter Walk around Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield.
She was the wife of the late Henry F. Russell. She was the beloved mother of Mary F. Desouza and her husband Louis of Rowley and Paul Russell and his wife Jane of Melrose. She was the caring sister of the Late John F. Byette. She was the grandmother of Nicole Amaro, Holly DeSouza, Stacey Wright, Marylou DeSouza, Anthony DeSouza and P.J. Russell. She is also survived by seven great-grandchildren.
The funeral was from the Gately Funeral Home, 79 West Foster St., Melrose, on Monday, Dec. 29 at 11 a.m., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Mary Church, Herbert Street, Melrose, at noon.
Burial at Wyoming Cemetery in Melrose.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to a charity of your choice. To send a message of condolence please visit www.gatelyfh.com.
