Comer Wiley Russell

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Visitation Schedule
Roller Coffman Funeral Home
923 Hwy 65 N
Marshall, AR  72650
Saturday, November 7, 2015
12-1:00 PM
Service Schedule
Roller Coffman
923 Hwy. 65 North
Marshall, AR  72650
Saturday, November 7, 2015
1:00 PM
Cemetery
Canaan Cemetery
Hwy 27 S
Marshall, AR  72650
Comer Wiley RussellI am a Veteran.

of Marshall, AR

February 13, 1929 - November 2, 2015

The Reverend Comer Wiley Russell, Jr., 86, of Marshall, Arkansas, died November 2nd, 2015. The Reverend Russell, the only child of Comer Wiley, Sr., and Tulsa Cleta (Horton) Russell, was born in Marshall on February 13, 1929, and was raised in the Canaan and Bear Creek communities. In 1960, He was baptized into the Southern Baptist Church in Sumter, South Carolina. He was later called to the ministry and was ordained in 1967 as a Southern Baptist minister in Sharpenhoe, Bedfordshire, England, at Sharpenhoe Southern Baptist Church, the first Southern Baptist Church in England, where he was a founding charter member. Later, he served as pastor to New Hopewell Baptist Church in Searcy County from 1972 until his death. He also served as Chaplain and was an active member of VFW post 3252 in Marshall. The Reverend was a member of the Searcy County Fair Board for many years, helping to obtain grants for everything from building construction to ribbons, and he also served on the Searcy County Jim G. Ferguson Library Board.
As a boy, Wiley, as he was then called, attended the one-room schoolhouses of Cooper School and Canaan School. He attended high school in both Marshall, Arkansas, and in Baltimore, Maryland, where he and his parents worked during the Second World War. Among other tasks, he earned $4 for every outhouse hole he dug. He later became a proud graduate of Marshall High School in 1947 and enlisted as a private in the Army Air Corps in August of that year. After basic training at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB), near San Antonio, Texas, he worked as a Corpsman in Trinidad at Waller AFB. He later switched to medical administration and served at Barksdale AFB near Shreveport, Louisiana, Nouasseur AFB near Casablanca, Morocco, Eaker AFB near Blytheville, Arkansas, Shaw AFB near Sumter, South Carolina, Langley AFB in Langley, Virginia, Chicksands Royal AFB near Bedford, England, Warner Robbins AFB in Warner Robbins, Georgia, Osan AFB near Songtan, South Korea, and Grand Forks AFB near Grand Forks, North Dakota. At Langley AFB, he served the Air Force Surgeon General directly, authoring policy manuals for hospital administration. Wherever he lived, he knew he was at heart a Searcy County boy, always spending the month of June in Searcy County where he enjoyed visiting with his family and friends.
He loved genealogy and was consulted by many on who had been married to whom. Visitors came to the house with photographs, asking him to identify the people in them. He was active in organizing and presiding over an annual Horton/Russell family reunion held the weekend of Leslie Homecoming where many family members from far and wide came to ask him questions.
On September 2, 2015, C.W. Russell, Jr. celebrated 65 years of marriage with his loving wife, Othelene (Summerhill) Russell. He loved telling stories about his childhood and life in the military, especially the one about hitch-hiking from Shreveport to Marshall to court Othelene before most of the roads were paved in Arkansas. They married in the First Baptist Church of Leslie, Arkansas, the Labor Day weekend of her senior year in high school. Their first home together was a bed/sitting one-room apartment with a kitchen under the stairs. Since his retirement from the Air Force in 1971, they rarely spent a day apart.
He enjoyed John Wayne movies and Zane Grey books and especially his time drinking coffee and visiting at the Sunset. One of his favorite activities as a boy was fishing on Bear Creek, where rumor has it he once used a few sticks of dynamite with his cousin. Thirty years later, he said, that same stretch of creek still didn't have fish in it.
He is survived by his wife, Othelene (Summerhill) Russell of the home; his son Charles Russell and wife Karen of McCalester, Oklahoma, and grandsons Robert Russell of Ada, Oklahoma, and James and Bryan Russell of McCalester, Oklahoma; his son George Russell and wife Chang-Hee of Jefferson City, Missouri, granddaughter Tessa (Russell) Baughman and husband Andrew of Northville, Michigan, and grandson Andrew Russell of Los Angeles, California; his daughter Rebecca (Russell) Baird and husband Eddie of Mountain View, Arkansas, granddaughters Brandi (Baird) Stafford and husband Lane of Maumelle, Arkansas, and Shelley (Baird) Todd and husband Keith of Hot Springs, Arkansas, and grandsons Weldon and Bryce Baird of Mountain View; and his son David Russell of San Jose, California. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren Jackson and Jordan Stafford and baby boy Baughman, due in January 2016.
He was preceded in death by his parents and a host of relatives and friends who shaped his life. Funeral services will be at Roller-Coffman Funeral Home in Marshall on Saturday, November 7, 2015, at 1:00 p.m. with visitation from 12:00 to 1:00. Following the ceremony, he will be interred at Canaan Cemetery. Pallbearers will be members of VFW post 3252. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to VFW post 3252, the Jim G. Ferguson Library, or the charity of your choice.



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12 Condolence(s)
Eddie Dry
Cotter, AR
Liked
Saturday, November 7, 2015

Wishing you all warm blessings.

John and Colly Magruder
Leslie,
Liked
Friday, November 6, 2015

Loved seeing them both at the Leslie Cafe. Will miss him.

Carol Duff
Dennard,
Liked
Friday, November 6, 2015

Wish I had known Comer longer, truely will miss him. Prayers for Othelene and the family,

Trudy (Horton) McIlroy
Catoosa, OK
Liked
Friday, November 6, 2015

Russell family,
I am so sorry for your loss. He was my oldest cousin on the Horton side. I was born on his 18th birthday. I always looked forward to your yearly visits back to Searcy County. God Bless and I will continue to keep you in my prayers.

Wesley and Loretta Smith
Leslie, AR
Liked
Friday, November 6, 2015

Comer was a good friend, drank a lot of coffee with him. He will be missed.

sally knapp boyd
Conwqy, AR
Liked
Thursday, November 5, 2015

Sorry for the loss of this long and productive life you have shared but your faith and memories will surely bring you comfort, Othelene.

Dona Van Kirk
Marshall,
Liked
Thursday, November 5, 2015

So sorry for your loss, he is now with his mama, and you will all be together again one day.

Brenda Lewis
Timbo, AR
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Wednesday, November 4, 2015

I am so sorry for your loss. Comer was always so positive about life and such a Christian example for all who knew him. May Godbless you during this time.

Don & Uralene
leslie, AR
Liked
Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Othalene:
We're thinking about all of you. You know where we are if you need anything.

Carolyn Fay Horton
Culver City, CA
Liked
Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Willey I have many fond memories of you and my sister Verna May. Spending the night at Aunt Tulsa's, but nyou had to carry us back home. The creek was up. Oh my.You have gone on to join Aunt Tulsa and Uncle Comer. Say hello.

Barbara Smith
Marshall, AR
Liked
Tuesday, November 3, 2015

I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with each of you during this difficult time.

yvonne kimbrell
marshall, AR
Liked
Tuesday, November 3, 2015

I am so sorry for your loss. MAY GOD BLESS YOU at this sad time. love YVONNE KIMBRELL