“Jack” Russell, Jr., 79, passed away on Friday, September 29, 2006, from a complication of long time illnesses, at Christus St. John Hospital in Nassau Bay, Texas.
He is a veteran of World War II where he honorably served in the Navy in the Pacific Theater aboard the USS TRYON as a Coxswain of LCVPs. He helped to evacuate wounded in the Philippines in preparation of the invasion of Japan. His ship was the third Allied ship into Tokyo Bay.
He quit Beaumont High School to join the Navy at age 17 where he earned his G.E.D. and was honorably discharged. He then followed his father by working for Southern Pacific Railroad for a short time before becoming a mail clerk at Sun Oil Company. At 22 he became the youngest Supervisor Sun Oil had up to that point shortly after he joined the company in Beaumont. He retired from Sun Oil Company in Dallas after 38 years.
He is preceded in death by his wife of 42 years, the former Stella Brickhouse, their son David, his father Alfred J. Russell, Sr. and sister Dorothy Higgins and her husband “Silver”.
Jack and Stella were founding parishioners of All Saints Catholic Church in Dallas and served as Eucharistic Ministers at Mass.
He is survived by his mother, Iris Macomber Wortman; sons, Michael and his wife Pat, and Mark and his wife Pat; daughters, Lisa Spalding and Alison Russell; grandsons, Patrick Russell, Christopher Spalding and Mathew Russell; granddaughter, Julie Sunkel and her husband Johnny; sisters, Betty Williams, Jane Holtby and her husband “Dick”; brother Don Russell and his wife “Rose”; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other relatives, friends, colleagues and neighbors.
Visitation will be at Broussard’s Funeral Home on 1605 N. Major Drive at Gladys Street on Sunday, October 1, 2006, from 5 PM to 6 PM followed by a short vigil ceremony.
The Funeral Mass will be held at St. Anne’s Catholic Church, 475 N. 11th Street at Calder in Beaumont on Monday, October 2, at 10:30 AM.
Pallbearers will be Patrick Russell, Christopher Spalding, Mathew Russell, Pete Russell, Greg Russell and Mike Wakefield. Honorary Pallbearers will be Don Russell, Earl Brickhouse, Dick Nutter, Jack Follmer, Forest Moore, Earl Brickhouse, Robert Brickhouse, John Collins, H. M. Nix and all the people he worked with at Sun Oil, Sun Gas and Oryx.
A memorial service and entombment will be in Calvary Hill Catholic Cemetery, 3235 Lombardy Lane between Harry Hines Boulevard (US 77) and Webb Chapel Road in Dallas at 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, October 3.
Memorials are asked to be made to the charity of one’s choice.
