Russell R. Below

Born in Union County Kentucky on February 2, 1926, he was the son of Clayton and Willie Pride Below. He was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Betty Jane Maginn Below. His siblings Elsie, Charles, Bill and Eleanor preceded him in death.

He is survived by his son Jim Below (Becky) of Ponte Vedra, Florida; daughters Pat Below Best (John) of Belleair, Florida; Mary Below Monaco (Tom) of Homestead, Florida; Judy Below Houck (Bill) and Helen Below of Woodstock, Georgia; and Carol Below Bugg (Dave) of Cerulean, Kentucky; grandchildren Heather Below Barbee (Todd) of Alpharetta, Georgia; Leigh Anne Below Rowe (Scott) of St. Augustine, Florida; James Below of Los Angeles, California; Nick Calhoun (Ashley) of Hopkinsville, Kentucky; Lauren Calhoun Trimmer (Ben) of Canton, Georgia; Chris Houck (Natasha) of Atlanta, Georgia; Jimmy Monaco (Tori) of Fort George Meade, Maryland; and great grandchildren Kayla Barbee, Payton and Dylan Rowe, Emma and Kelsey Calhoun, Liam Monaco and Daisy Houck.

Also surviving are siblings Dorothy Hohman of Groves, Texas, Agnes Thompson of Bowling Green, Kentucky, Judy Hannum of Ocean View, Delaware, Helen Mills of Lexington, Kentucky, Virginia Below of Oro Valley, Arizona, and John Below of Temecula, California. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews and dear friends.

Russell was a member of the Greatest Generation. He enlisted in the Navy right out of high school in 1944. He served until October 1947 as a Navy Pharmacist’s Mate 2nd Class. In November he married Elizabeth “Betty” Maginn who he had met while stationed in California. (She was the officer and he was the gentleman.) They moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky, where they were employed at the hospital while Russell attended and graduated from Western (BS). He went on to complete his masters from Murray in 1956. In 1950 they left Bowling Green to begin his career as an educator then returning to retire there in 1994 after 44 years of being a teacher, a coach, and a city, county, and state level administrator. These positions took his family to places throughout Kentucky and Florida.

While retired Russell was active in the Kentucky Retired Teachers Association and in St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Throughout his life family was most important. A vacation for him was to visit family and every year since the passing of his parents in 1976, he attended the Below-Pride family reunion while often instrumental in organizing them. As an educator he is remembered for taking a high school basketball team to the state tournament for the first time, for inspiring young people to continue their education and to persevere, and for taking an active role in the desegregation of schools. As a son he lived up to his parents’ expectations. As a husband he was a faithful loving partner. As a father he was whatever was needed at the time: the disciplinarian, the driving instructor, the coach, the banker, and the advisor. As a grandfather and great grandfather he was excited for every new baby just as he had admired in his own father. He was affectionately known as Mr. “B,” Major, Grandpa, Pop Pop, and Dad. He will be missed.

His family will be organizing a memorial service in Bowling Green when it is safer to travel. In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Joseph Church Restoration Fund (Renew Campaign) can be made online at stjosephbg.weshareonline.org or by mail to St. Joseph Church Restoration Fund, 434 Church Avenue, Bowling Green, KY 42101. Or donations may be made to Murray State University for the “A.B. Mitchell and Brooks Mitchell Scholarship” and mailed to the MSU Office of Development, 200 Heritage Hall, Murray, Kentucky 42071.