Sidney Robinson Russell "Sid" Mattina, 88, passed away peacefully on
August 6, 2004 in Alliance, Ohio. She is survived by four children:
Thomas G. Russell and wife, Crystal, of Gilbert, AZ; Faith Russell Mascott
and husband, Owen, of Walnut Creek, CA; Rev. Howard Russell and wife,
Karen, of Phelps, NY; and Charles J. Russell of N. Benton, OH., a
sister, Elsie Ogilvie of New Smyrna Beach, FL ; twelve grandchildren and
eight great-grandchildren.
Sid, who was born on September 9, 1915 in Shortsville. New York, was
the youngest of ten children. She was the sixth daughter born to Rev. Jay
Forbes Robinson and Mazie Lavinia Cuyle. The family lived in a number
of small towns throughout New York State as Rev. Robinson pursued his
career as a Presbyterian minister and a Masonic life insurance salesman.
In 1932 at age 16, Sid was chosen to represent Red Creek, New York as
it's Cherry Blossom Queen. She participated in the Washington, D.C.
Cherry Blossom Festival the same year. Upon graduation from Red Creek High
School in 1933, she studied to become a nurse at Strong Memorial
Hospital in Rochester, NY. Two years later, she decided to become a teacher
and graduated in 1937 from Geneseo Normal School, Geneseo, NY. Her first
teaching assignment was in Corning, NY. Latter assignments included:
Geneva, NY, Amherst, NY and Akron, N.Y. where she retired in 1971.
Sid met her first husband, Howard H. Russell of Jordan, NY in 1938.
They were married that same year on November 24th. They lived in
Canandaigua, Shortsville, and Geneva, New York area until 1958 when they
relocated to Clarence, NY. Howard died in 1960.
Sid married Benjamin J. Mattina on May 30, 1969. Sid and Ben lived
happily in Clearwater, FL for 26 years. They were members of the Friendship
United Methodist Church, until their nursing home confinements in 1996.
Sid was preceded in death by her husband, Ben. She moved to Alliance,
Ohio to be near her son, Charles in 1998.
Memorial services are planned for 11:00 am, September 14, 2004 at
Kennedy and Son Funeral Home, Canandaigua, New York. Internment will be in
Woodlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a
contribution to the American Cancer Society.