Rites Scheduled for Writer Russell

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday for Hortense Lion Russell, a novelist and magazine writer, who died last Thursday of natural causes at Chateau La Jolla, a retirement home. She was 92.

In 1963, Russell moved from New York City to San Diego. Four years later she moved to La Jolla.

Russell wrote articles for Redbook and Cosmopolitan magazines, short stories and three novels: “Mill Stream,” “Second Love” and “The Grass Grows Green,” which was on the New York Times best seller list in 1942.

As a member of the Institute of Continued Learning at UC San Diego, she often lectured on short stories. “She was a real optimist. She always said no matter how dark things were, they would always work out,” said her son, Richard Russell. “Since she lived through two world wars and the Great Depression, she knew what she was talking about.”

Russell is survived by her son, Richard of La Jolla; a daughter, Kate Bobker of New Rochelle, N.Y.; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Wednesday’s service will be at Richard Russell’s home in La Jolla. Anyone wishing to attend may call 454-0481.