Lt. Col. BOBBY RUSSELL
Lt. Col. Bobby Russell, age 82 of Albany, passed away Thursday, March 19, 2020. Private graveside funeral services with military honors were held Tuesday, March 24 in the Albany Cemetery with Pastor Jeff Turner officiating. Interment followed under the direction of Morehart Mortuary. A public memorial service will be held at a later date.
Bobby Ray Russell was born April 3, 1937 in Moore, Oklahoma to parents, Luther Russell and Donna Mae Bowman Russell. Bobby graduated from Albany High School in 1955 and continued his education at the University of Oklahoma and graduated in 1959.
On Dec. 29, 1958, Bobby married Joy Duveen Dillingham in Albany. Mr. Russell joined the United States Air Force in 1960 in which he served as a Lieutenant Colonel and earned several medals, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Vietnam Service Medal. Lt. Col. Russell retired from the military in 1983 after 23 years of service.
After he retired from the Air Force, he worked for Raltson Purina in Dodge City, Kansas, taught business management at Southwest Texas State University in San Marcos where he also earned his MBA, and later went to work for the City of Albany as the city manager until he fully retired.
He was a member at First Baptist Church. He was preceded in death by his wife, Duveen Russell; his parents, Luther and Donna Russell; brothers, Billie Wix Russell and Luther Russell, Jr.; sisters, Mary Fawn Donathan, Martha Francis Russell; son-in-law, Glen Bartee; and nephews, Billie Wix Russell II, Tommy Ray Russell, and Russell Andrew Wade.
He is survived by one daughter, Shelly Bartee of Albany; one son, Kurt Russell and wife Heidi of Jacksonville, Florida; three sisters, Sandi Russell Conway and husband Sam, Donna Russell Wade and husband Leo, Judi Russell Draper; three grandchildren, Justin Ray Russell, Kayla Joy Russell, Branch Groves Bartee and wife Adriana; one great grandchild, Bennett Glen Bartee; his nieces and nephews, Kathy Donathan Louge, Gloria Donathan Garner, Stacy Wade Screws, Shari Newbig Jorgenson, Donna Newbig and Ed Donathan.
Memorials may be made to the Fort Griffin Fandangle or to the Alzheimer’s Association and may be left at Morehart Mortuary. Condolences may be made online at www.morehartmortuary.net.
Due to Governor Abbott’s executive order, in accordance with the guidelines from the President and the CDC, every person in Texas shall avoid social gatherings in groups of more than 10 people, therefore we are limiting crowds at the mortuary to 10 people at a time. If you wish to come by, we ask that you use the provided hand sanitizer when entering and exiting the mortuary. PD
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