Donald "Don" Russell

Donald Russell, age 85, passed from this life to his eternal home on October 11, 2024, at the Baptist Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. 

A memorial service for Don will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, October 19, 2024 at the First Baptist Church in Sardis, MS. The family will receive friends beginning at 9:00 a.m. until service time.

Donald was born to Bilbo and Clara Rikard Russell on December 20, 1938. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Dorothy Sanders Russell, and 2 brothers. He is survived by his daughter, Wendy VanDyke (Joe) of Bolivar, TN, and his son, Will Russell (Sara Jane) of Hernando, MS, and his 3 grandchildren that were the light of his life: George VanDyke, Reid Russell, and Sara Camille Russell. He also leaves behind 1 brother and 4 sisters. 

Don graduated from Sardis High School. He was a staff sergeant in the 108 Armored Calvary with the Mississippi National Guard and served Mississippi and the United States well. He quickly went to work in his life-long career for the Coca-Cola Company serving in many sales and management capacities. He was a deacon at First Baptist Church in Sardis and volunteered with the Lions Club, the Gideons, and the Boy Scouts. He loved to hunt and fish and to be outdoors. 

Don greatly loved God, his family, his country, his lifelong home of Sardis, his church family, and his friends. He was an Ole Miss football fan and could frequently be found watching ESPN or Fox News. 

When he said, “I love y’all”, to someone, he truly meant it and he will be missed by so many.