- Date Of Birth: January 23, 1933
- Date Of Death: February 5, 2021
- State: Idaho
Doris Mary Russell Wise (nicknamed “Cotton Top”) was born January 23, 1933, in Shelley, Idaho. Mom passed away February 5, 2021, with her three daughters by her side. She was the seventh of ten children born to John Wesley Russell and Ruth Covert Russell.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bob; two sons, Danny and Jack Wise; granddaughter, Stacey Hemperly; parents, John and Ruth; sisters, Ella (Phil) Holmquist, Melvina Cox, and Joyce (Kay) Lee; brothers, Kenneth (Norma), Pete (Merle), Eldridge (Betty), Ivol (Joyce), and Lynn Russell. She has one sister living, Mae Doreen Wolf (Duane) Russell.
Her father died when she was 4, leaving her mother single with ten children. Mom learned how to help out and also followed the examples of her older siblings. Every one of them worked tirelessly to provide the barest of necessities to survive. It didn’t take long to learn new skills, work with a positive attitude, and do it right the first time, so we can go play. Her mother, Ruth, moved the family to Idaho Falls where there would be more work opportunities and additional support. They lived on First Street and were neighbors to the Harveys.
The first time she saw her future husband was out her bedroom window. He was playing with friends and he had his little sister, LaDean, with him. Mom went down and got acquainted. She said they went to movies and he paid (10 cents a piece).
Mom went through her early years going to school during the school year, working in the potato harvest in the Fall, cutting potato seeds in the Spring, working for many local farmers, then cleaning houses for their wives.
She and Bob were growing up and ended up falling in love. He still seemed to always have his little sister, which by now, was a young lady too. Mom got a fiancé and a best friend (LaDean) at the same time. Bob suffered a terrible car wreck that left him unable to care for himself for many months. Mom moved into the house with his parents, Bill and Edeth (her future in-laws), to help with his care.
After many months in a cast, it finally came off and Bob was able to get back to work. He decided to ask Mom to marry him. They wed on October 5, 1950. They started a family. Danny, Linda, Jack, Karen. In her mid twenties she became ill and was diagnosed with Tuberculosis. She had to spend 16 months in Gooding, Idaho. In quarantine, undergoing surgery to remove the disease in the left lung just below her heart. Not only was her heart at risk from the disease, it was also enduring the emotional trauma of leaving her beloved husband and children. Her family, and Dad’s family, showed incredible support and kept her children loved, safe, and well fed during this time. Dad would drive up every weekend to see her, and work every day through the work week to provide.
During this time, her best friend, LaDean, would comfort Mom with letters. One of these letters encouraged Mom to start reading the Bible. Psalms 83:18. Mom was in a ward with other patients and they all shared their correspondence. She hollered over to one of her fellow roommates, “I don’t know how she expects me to read the Bible. I don’t even have one.” A janitor, Chick Brow, overheard this and offered his. That was the first time she learned that God had an actual name and it was Jehovah. From that time on, she prayed to Jehovah and her spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical health took a turn for the better. She finally healed up from TB, and went home to her family, all while carrying her fifth child, Judy. She would have five little cotton pickers. She kept it a secret for fear they wouldn’t let her come home. Moving forward in her new found faith. She worked tirelessly to tell her family and friends that God had a name and it was Jehovah. She went on to study and get baptized. She made every effort to teach her children the importance of following the principles in the Bible. She made sure that her children went to the local Kingdom Hall for their Christian meetings, International conventions in Canada, LA at Dodger Stadium, Portland, Oregon, District conventions in Ogden, Utah, and Circuit Assemblies, right here at home at the Civic Auditorium. And we learned to love Jehovah.
Mom was always hospitable to all her family. She made sure whenever any family member came to see her and Dad, she would offer them something to eat and drink. Many times a family would come share a glass of wine, her homemade chicken noodle soup, or sometimes a full-course pot roast dinner, and to hear Dad, Jack, Larry, Lew and LaDean, jam in the basement. Mom always made sure everyone left happy and well fed. We all grew up and started our own families. Mom and Dad were right there for each baby born. They showed all of our children immense love and support. Then they had great grandchildren. Mom loved them all, including their wives and husbands. Once again, she included them by name in her prayers to Jehovah! Every night.
