James Milton Russell, 92 years, was born January 2, 1922, at Cayce, Marshall County, Mississippi, and died March 4, 2014, at Baptist Trinity Hospice House at Collierville, Tennessee. He was the oldest child of the late Ray Alexander Russell and Ada Mae Armour Russell.
He was a graduate of Collierville High School and Mississippi State University. Upon graduation he immediately entered the army at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he received his commission as 2nd Lieutenant. His service years were in Italy with the 51st Infantry, 88th Division, “Blue Devils.” He was wounded at Mount Cappello on September, 1944, and received a Purple Heart. Later he received an Oak Leaf Cluster after sustaining a second wound. He was discharged with the rank of Captain.
Upon returning from the service, James taught the Veteran Agricultural classes in Collierville for the Shelby County Board of Education, and in 1951 he opened Russell’s
Farm Supply Co. In 1967 he became the last politically appointed Post Master of Collierville and served the longest tenure of any Collierville Post Master, retiring in 1992 having served 25 years.
He and Clarene Pinkston were married in 1948 and celebrated their 65th anniversary on September 18, 2013. James served his Lord as a deacon and Sunday school teacher for many years. He was past-president of the Collierville Rotary Club and charter member of the Descendants of Early Settlers of Shelby County, Tennessee, and Adjoining Counties where he served as chaplain. James served at Treasurer on the Collierville Mayor and Board of Alderman. In 1998 he received the Kiwanis International’s George F. Hixson Fellow award, one of Kiwanis’ highest honors.
In addition to his wife, Clarene, he leaves a daughter, Kathi Reisz and husband, Phil, and a dearly loved grandson, Alex Reisz all of Dalton, GA. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a brother, Cecil Eugene Russell, Memphis, two sisters, Lois Russell Coulson, Little Rock, AR, and Pauline Russell Clark, Philadelphia, MS. He is survived by a brother, Howard Earl Russell, Collierville, and sister Janie Russell Wilburn, Perkinston, MS.
Services will be from Collierville Funeral Home with visitation on Thursday from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Funeral service will be Friday at 2:00 p.m. with burial in Magnolia Cemetery, Collierville.
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