Barbara A. Russell

Barbara was a woman of incredible vision, amazing tenacity and an un-quenching thirst to make our country a better place. She accomplished this in both her personal and her professional life. As a Director, she founded the Federal Coordinating Offices Corp in FEMA. She was the Director of the National Response to Hurricane Hugo in the Caribbean. She was the leader of the National Response to the 1998 ice storms. She was the professional "mother" of the original 15 FCO's in FEMA as well as the Recovery Director for Region 2.

Upon retiring from FEMA after 25+ years, Barbara formed her own consulting company and worked with FLUOR Corporation as a Senior Consultant. Barbara joined HORNE in 2008 and worked with their government services team as a Senior Manager. She believed, as they did, in making a difference in disaster and recovery.

Barbara's personal passion was to help other people in both her professional and personal life. She had an infectious joy for living, a commitment to excellence, and great respect and love for everyone. To know her was to love her! She will be greatly missed by all.

She was preceded in death by two sons, Ronald Scott Russell and Eric Carlton Russell; a brother, Gerald Leroy Tucker; and both parents, Lonnie and Geraldine Tucker. She is survived by one daughter, Ashley Russell Sheppard; two sisters, Vicki Tucker Gardner and Brenda Tucker Herman; Becky Russell Kolwyck; grandchildren, Bailey, Chance, McKenna, Colby, Sunni, and Darby; 6 nieces and nephews and 7 great nieces and nephews and numerous cousins.

A Memorial Service will be 11:00am Thursday June 12, 2014 at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home , 1161 Highland Colony Parkway,

Ridgeland, MS 39157, preceded by visitation at 10am.

Memorials may be sent to Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, c/o Gifts Processing, PMB 407727, 2301 Vanderbilt Place, Nashville, TN 37240-7727 or

Blair E Batson Hospital for Children,University Medical Center, 2500 North State Street, Jackson, MS. 39216.