H. J. "Jack" Russell

Herbert Jackson “Jack” Russell died in Clemmons, NC on July 11 from congestive heart failure. He was 100 years old. Several weeks prior to his death, Jack entered the hospital for an aggressive treatment of the disease. Though the procedure was successful, complications developed during his stay in the hospital, and, following his discharge, he continued to weaken. Family members and hospice personnel ministered to him during his final weeks, and he died at home. Jack Russell loved God, his family, his church, his work, his garden and his workshop. Whatever occupied him received his full attention.

Jack was born in Mila on the Northern Neck of Virginia, the fourth of five children. His dad farmed for a living, and in Jack’s words, “We were poor but did not know it.” Following graduation from high school, Jack moved to Roanoke VA where he began a career in the automotive industry. He worshipped at the Belmont Baptist Church and sang with the men’s group. When the men’s group needed help with rehearsals, the pastor suggested that Jack ask a pianist named Gwendolyn Mitchell. Jack and Gwen grew to love one another, and determined to marry when their combined income reached $125/month. The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor and life changed.

Jack was drafted into the United States Army in 1941. In his words, “Most of the men wanted to serve one year and get out. I was intrigued at the thought of being an airplane mechanic and, after passing a written exam, the Army Air Force accepted me on October 8, 1941.” He had an aptitude for things mechanical and was appointed engineering inspector, supervising in England a crew of a dozen men to repair damaged B24 bombers, and holding the rank of Master Sergeant when discharged at the war’s end.

Jack and Gwen Russell married in 1945, and they found a church home in the newly formed Grandin Court Baptist Church, worshipping there for the next 70 years. He held virtually every position of leadership including Sunday School teacher, chairman of the Deacons, chairman of the Finance Committee, Sunday School superintendent, member of the pastoral search committee and member of the choir’s bass section. If something at church needed to be fixed or built, he was always there to help. The motto of his life could well be, “What can I do to help?” He was constantly engaged at home building this or fixing that. He kept a large garden for fresh produce in the summer and frozen or canned produce in the winter; he built or repaired countless things for his children, grandchildren, and countless others.

Never one to call attention to himself, Jack was simply there to help in whatever way was needed. His finest moment came at the end of Gwen’s life. She had been a bookkeeper for her life’s work, and about ten years before she died, Jack noticed that she had trouble accurately adding a column of figures. He stayed by her side as the dementia gradually took her conscious mind, giving her full care during the last 6 years of her life, eventually calling in Hospice for her last year of life. When asked why Gwen had lived so long after hospice care was needed, the nurse replied, “It is the quality of love and care that Gwen received from Jack.”

Jack will be remembered lovingly and reverently by his sons, daughter, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, and the countless lives that he touched in Roanoke, Clemmons, and even places he simply visited. He was preceded in death by wife, Mildred Gwendolyn Mitchell Russell, parents Southey and Julia Russell, brothers George, Bob, and Stuart Russell, sister Virginia Edge, and grandson Peter Russell. He is survived by son Robert Russell (Linda) of Portland, ME; son David Russell (Debbie) of Lancaster, VA; daughter Ann Kimmer (Tross) of Clemmons, NC; grandson Ben Russell of Brooklyn, NY; grandson Will Russell of Powhatan, VA; granddaughter Emily Russell (Siavash Haghtalab) of Brooklyn, NY; granddaughter Julia Russell of Wilmington, NC; grandson Andy Taylor of Fort Lauderdale, FL; grandson Rob Taylor (Vicki) of Gainesville, FL; grandson Steve Taylor of Plantation, FL; and great grandchildren Braden, Gracie, and Clayton Taylor of Ocean Isle Beach NC, and Peter Ryan Russell of Parrish, FL. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Jack’s memory to Grandin Court Baptist Church, 2660 Brambleton Ave, Roanoke VA 24015. A Celebration of Life service will be held at a later date.