submitted
OTTUMWA —
Russell C. Mote, 94, formerly of Ottumwa, went to be with the Lord July 24, 2012, in Austin, Texas.
Mr. Mote was born and raised in Des Moines and graduated from Lincoln High School. He served in World War II in the Air Force and attended Drake University in Des Moines. Mr. Mote was the original founder and owner of Flowers by Russell Mote for more than 30 years in Ottumwa. Mr. Mote sold his flower shop and gift store in 1976 and went on corporate staff with Campus Crusade for Christ based out of San Bernadino, Calif. He traveled around the country and world with the Crusade organization for 15 years until his retirement. He and his first wife, Mrs. Mary Jane Amend Mote, were members of the First Lutheran Church in Ottumwa for many years.
He is survived by his third wife, Jean Nelson Mote of Austin, Texas; and his two daughters and their husbands, Michele “Shelly” Mote (Paul) Amon of Nashville, Tenn., and Pamela “Pam” Mote (Jim) Greer of Lewisville, Texas; and one grandson, Matthew Greer, attending Texas Christian University (TCU) in Ft.Worth, Texas; and numerous nieces and nephews he stayed in contact with over the years.
Mr. Mote is preceded in death by his first wife for 24 years of marriage and mother of his two daughters, who were raised in Ottumwa, Mrs. Mary Jane Amend Mote; his second wife of 11 years, Mrs. Ruth Smillie Mote; one brother, L. Charles Mote of Fort Wayne, Ind.; two sisters, Mrs. Ruth Thorpe of Des Moines and youngest sister, Mrs. Betty Symmes of Gulfport, Miss.
Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at Cook-Walden Funeral Home in Austin, Texas. Graveside service will be at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday in Pennsylvania at Indiantown Gap National Cemetery in Annville, Pa.
Memorials maybe made to the American Heart Association.
If wishing to contact the family, you may email daughter Pamela Greer at Pamela_Sue_Greer@verizon.net.
