Ellen Russell Sadler

Ellen Fall Russell Sadler passed away peacefully into heaven on December 24, 2023 at the age of 86 in Nashville, Tennessee. She was born March 12, 1937, to Katherine Wyche Early and Fred McFerrin Russell. She is survived by her sons, Samuel Knox Harwell IV (Beth), Fred Russell Harwell (Liz), and James Douglass Harwell, and stepchildren, Robert Neil Sadler, Jr., Sue Reinhardt (Keith), and Jane Sadler Greenway.

Her beloved grandchildren are Alexandra Ellen Harwell, Samuel Knox Harwell V, Tucker Robert Harwell, Elizabeth McFerrin Mecklenborg (Ben), Fred Russell Harwell, Jr. (Katherine), George Hinton Harwell (Sidney Mattern Burnett), Kaitlin Reinhardt Butcher (Shawn), Neil Layton Reinhardt (Janie), Anna Layton Greenway, and Kathleen Greenway Kelley (Will). “GrandEllen” loved her “darling” great granddaughters, Josephine Belle Butcher, Madelyn Barnes Butcher, Caroline Jane Kelley, and Collins Fitzgerald Kelley. She is survived by three sisters, Kay Russell Beasley, Lee Russell Brown, and Carolyn Evans Russell, and many nieces and nephews.

Ellen was married in 1961 to Dr. Samuel Knox Harwell III, who died in 1972. In 1978 she married Dr. Robert Neil Sadler, who died in 2007. She felt tremendously blessed by the lives of them both.

She graduated from Harpeth Hall School in 1955, as part of the inaugural 9th grade class following the school’s founding in 1951. She graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1959 where she had the distinction of being “Lady of the Bracelet” (most outstanding coed), “Miss Vanderbilt” (most popular), and President of Women’s Student Government. She was a cheerleader and a member of Tri Delta Sorority.

She was an elementary school teacher for several years, including at Ensworth School. She was involved in many volunteer causes, including serving on the Boards of the Salvation Army, the Junior League, American Heart Association, Brentwood Academy, and Centennial Club. She was Chairman and Area Representative of Christian Women’s Club. She was very active in her church, and enjoyed teaching Sunday School for many years.

She was an artist; many of her watercolors and oils are in galleries and middle Tennessee homes. She loved writing; her published book, BABYTALES, contains many of her stories and illustrations. A favorite hobby of hers was storytelling. She was well known for storytelling to children’s classes, grandchildren’s birthday parties, and to adults. For most of her life, Ellen enjoyed spending time with friends and family playing tennis (and also golf), often at Belle Meade Club.

Ellen dearly loved her family and friends; her love of the Lord was her greatest love.

Contributions may be made to the Salvation Army Auxiliary of Nashville. Her family would like to thank the staff at both Brookdale Belle Meade and Richland Place for their quality care and compassion for Ellen.

A funeral service will be held January 2, 2024, at 11:00 a.m., at Stephens Valley Church, 6000 Pasquo Road, Nashville, Tennessee with visitation at the Church from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. There will be a burial to follow at Mt. Olivet Cemetery.