William Russell

Waynesville-William Edwin Russell, age 79, of 850 East Street died unexpectedly Saturday, October 14, 2006. A native and resident of Haywood County most of his life, Ed was the son of the late Oliver Duke Russell and Virginia Ferguson Russell. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his stepmother, Loretta Mackey Russell. He was a graduate of Clyde High School and Western Carolina University. He was a veteran of the United States Navy serving in World War II. Ed was a retired county manager and former chairman of Board of Commissioners of Haywood County. He was a former finance officer of Haywood County, the Haywood County Hospital and Haywood County Schools. Ed was also a former member of Waynesville Lions Club with over 40 years of service. He was also member and current Foundation Board member of Smoky Mountain Mental Health. He also served on the Waynesville ABC Board and was a member of the Democratic Men's Club and was honored as a recipient of a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary. Ed attended First Baptist Church of Waynesville. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Grovene Clark Russell; one daughter, Vicki R. Gordon and her husband, Mike of Waynesville; one son, Clark Russell of Charlotte; a brother-in-law, Dr. William D. Clark of Houston, Texas, whom Ed and his wife, Grovene raised from infancy; his grandchildren, Erin Russell, William Russell, Caroline Ottinger and her husband, John, Camden and her husband, Kent, Jennifer Clark, William R. Clark, Pamela Helms and her husband, Grady T., Kasey Clark, Scott Gordon and wife, Katherine, Ken Gordon and his wife, Laura, Kelly Arthur and her husband, Daniel. His great-grandchildren are Madeline, Olivia and Mariel Ottinger, Kizer, Kentley, Kavender Grace and Kolt Nelson, Hannah and Rebekah Helms, Lindsay, Riley and Kennedy Gordon. Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Tuesday, October 17th at the First Baptist Church of Waynesville with Reverend Dr. Robert Prince officiating. Burial will follow at Garrett-Hillcrest Memorial Park. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. Monday, October 16th at Wells Funeral Home in Waynesville. Serving as pallbearers will be grandsons, grandsons-in-law, Bob Brannon and Bob Breece. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Waynesville Lions Club and Board members of the Haywood County Board of Commissioners who served with Ed during his tenure. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Building Fund of First Baptist Church of Waynesville, 100 South Main Street, Waynesville, NC 28786.

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