Patricia Russell SDS

Sister Patricia Russell was born in Corning, New York, Diocese of Rochester, New York on October 29, 1952, the eldest of three children born to George W. and Shirley (Schilberger) Russell. Growing up, she enjoyed family events and activities, swimming, skiing and time with friends. She attended St. Mary and St. Vincent de Paul grade schools in Corning as well as Corning Free Academy and graduated from Corning Painted Post East High School. During high school, she was active in various clubs, Girl Scouts and parish activities. Upon graduation from high school, she attended Corning Community College, earning an Associate of Applied Science degree. She was also involved in parish activities and service to others. She entered the Sisters of the Divine Savior in August 1979. She pronounced her first vows on August 29, 1982, and final vows on August 26, 1988 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

While still in college she applied for employment with the Department of Justice, Criminal Division, and upon graduation, moved to Arlington, Virginia. She received a special achievement award from the Justice Department in 1978 for superior performance. As a member of St. Thomas More Parish in Arlington, she continued to be very involved in church ministry, helping with religious education, serving on Cursillo teams, and volunteering at Christ House, which provided shelter, meals and counseling to people in need. At the request of the Bishop, she served on the first Evangelization Commission for the Diocese of Arlington.

For over two years prior to entrance into the Congregation, she began to consider religious life as an option­—primarily, she said, to convince herself that it was not the path she should take. However, that was not what resulted, and after considering several communities she chose the Salvatorians. Remembering her first visit, she recalled being immediately comfortable with the Sisters because they were hospitable and focused on the gifts that she would bring to the community. Years later, speaking of religious life, she said, “We [women religious] are a yeast . . . a movement for the future.” She believed that “women religious have helped pave the way for lay women to become more active in church ministry.”

Her first ministry experience as a Sister was in the Congregation’s Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, as secretary for the administrator. Her next ministry was as a parish secretary at St. Agnes Parish in Milwaukee for five years. In the Sunday bulletin article announcing her hiring, the pastor said, “Her laugh and pleasant hello have already welcomed many of you.” In 1987, she attended Marquette University, earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration. After graduation, she accepted a position as the Administrator at St. Francis Xavier Church in Birmingham, Alabama. In 1992, she answered the call to become co-coordinator of sponsorship of the Province’s institutions. In 1997, she served as Provincial Treasurer and was a member of the Sisters’ International Finance Commission.

In 2001, she became a full time student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, graduating with a master’s degree in business administration. During this time, she was a member of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Business Black and Gold Commission. Upon completion of her studies in 2002, she accepted the position of Business Administrator of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish in Cookeville, Tennessee, where she served for 14 years. In 2016, for health reasons, she returned to Milwaukee, where she worked part time in St. Catherine’s Parish Office and volunteered with the religious education program at Mother of Good Council Parish.

She moved to Salvatorian Sisters Residence in 2021 to avail herself of the extra care she needed to deal with the diabetes-related problems she was experiencing. Over the next few years, her health continued to decline. She underwent several hospitalizations, struggled through long days of rehabilitation to learn to walk with a prosthetic limb, and in March 2024, suffered a severe heart attack. On January 29, 2025, she underwent surgery to receive a replacement heart valve.

Although she spent many of her final months receiving additional care at St. Anne’s, she remained connected with the community at Salvatorian Sisters Residence, sharing meals at times and attending as many events and functions as she could. On the morning of April 30, 2026, God quietly called her home. She was 73 years old and professed for 44 years.

Sister Pat was preceded in death by her parents, George W. and Shirley (Schilberger) Russell. She is survived by her brother Clyde Russell, and sister Karen (Russell) Clark, nieces and nephews, and the members of the Salvatorian Family.

Visitation and Mass of Christian Burial

Thursday, May 14, 2026

St. Anne’s Salvatorian Campus Chapel • 3800 North 92nd Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Visitation at 1:15 PM; Remembering Service at 1:45 PM

followed by the Mass of Christian Burial.

Father Paul Portland, SDS - Presider

Burial: Holy Cross Cemetery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin