Rev. Raymond L. Russell (1921-2012)

RUSSELL, BEKKURN, LUXTON, SHELTON, DUNHAM, DENNERT

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 8/1/2012 at 07:40:27

From Adams & Soderstrum Funeral Home obituary, Story County, Iowa:

Raymond Russell

BORN: January 1, 1921

DIED: March 13, 2012

LOCATION: Ames, Iowa

Rev. Raymond L. Russell
January 1, 1921 – March 13, 2012

On March 13th the world lost not only a gentleman, but a truly gentle man. Everyone who knew him – colleagues, friends, and family – loved his kind, serene manner and admired his quiet intellect. He faced life with confidence and optimism and hardships with equanimity. When ill health forced him to move from his lovely townhouse to one room in the healthcare wing of Northcrest Retirement Community, his mature acceptance amazed everyone. When asked if he thought he would be able to adjust to such a downsizing, he answered, "All the others here have adapted, and so can I."

Funeral services will be held at Collegiate United Methodist Church in Ames, Iowa at 2 p.m. on April 3. Visitation will be at 1 p.m. also at the church. Flowers may be sent to the church. Those wishing to send cards or memorial gifts may send them to Alan Russell, 1713 Amherst Dr., Ames, IA 50010, Collegiate United Methodist Church, Ames or Northcrest Retirement Community, Ames.

Born on January 1, 1921 in University Park, Iowa to Rev. L.B. and Fanny Russell, Raymond spent a happy childhood and adolescence in Green Mountain and Radcliffe, Iowa. As a young man, he attended John Fletcher College in Oskaloosa, Iowa, studying for the ministry there and finishing his seminary work several years later at the University of Dubuque.

During his college years, he met Helen Bekkurn, who became his wife in June of 1943. They were happily married for 661/2 years until her death in 2010. Over many years they served as pastor and wife to Evangelical United Brethren churches in Winterset, Colo, and Dubuque, Iowa, and United Methodist churches in Waterloo, Algona, Atlantic, and Maxwell, Iowa. Raymond served as a district superintendent for the United Methodist Church Conference in the Spencer district and retired from the ministry in 1985, moving to Ames, where he and Helen lived for many years.

His deep religious faith and warm personality enabled him to touch so many lives as he conducted Sunday services, married couples, visited the sick and the elderly, counseled the troubled, comforted the grieving along with a myriad of other church duties. His devout Christianity manifested itself as a quiet radiance, never judgmental but instead always encouraging and inspiring--truly a beacon of hope to others in a troubled world.

Raymond was something of a Renaissance man, possessing a myriad of talents and skills from sports (baseball, basketball, racquetball, and golf) to carpentry (building his own deck, bookshelves, cabin, etc.) to the arts. He had a life-long love of beautiful things: classical music, photography, scenery. After many trips all over the U.S., Canada, and Europe, he combined these three loves into a wonderful avocation, creating travelogues that brought many hours of beauty and inspiration to various church groups, clubs, and family occasions.

He enjoyed many wonderful friendships made through Northcrest Retirement Community, Collegiate United Methodist Church, Kiwanis Club and his men's choir in which he sang first tenor for many years. He continued to correspond with many friends from all the various church congregations he served over the years.
His greatest love was for his family, all of whom have only the fondest memories of him. His children and grandchildren marvel at the fact that they cannot remember a cross or unkind word he ever said to them over all their years together. Instead, they remember his kind words of encouragement, his pride in their accomplishments, his wisdom, and his sense of fun and enjoyment of life.

Those left to cherish his memories are his three children: Sherry (John) Luxton of Davenport, Barbara (John) Shelton of Wheaton, Illinois, and Alan (Laurel) Russell of Ames. He was also beloved by his five grandchildren: J.C. Luxton, James (Shannon) Luxton, Jeffrey, Kristen, and Mark Russell and three great-grandchildren: Sean, Max, and Piper Luxton. He is survived also by one sister-Phyllis Dunham of Marshalltown, numerous nieces and nephews and in-laws.

Raymond was preceded in death by his wife, his parents and grandparents, one brother (Arthur Russell) and two sisters (Frances Russell and Naomi Dennert). We all take comfort in the fact that today all of these loved ones and all the angels in Heaven rejoice because Raymond has at last returned Home.

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