Active Pall Bearers VierlBanks WaltMcClain BernardClinton DougMitchell PonceGerald TerryMoore DonnieGray LarryRose TonyGreene CharlesWilliams

Honorary Pall BearersBasketballOfficials

AlphaPhiAlphaFraternity,Inc.

Flower BearersLadiesofGreaterFirstUnitedBaptistChurchandBasketballOfficials

Greater First United Baptist Church1409 Deep River RoadHigh Point, North Carolina 27265

Pastor Tacuma S. JohnsonOfficiating Pastor

Rev. Leonard FairleyEulogist

Haizlip Funeral Home206FourthStreet

HighPoint,NorthCarolina336-882-4134Fax:336-882-2807

www.haizlipfuneralhome.com

Haizlip Funeral Home would like to thank you for entrustingyour loved one to our care. We strive to fulfill your

requests in a caring professional way.

A Joyful JourneyJohn Russell

Administrator ~ Teacher ~ Mentor ~ Basketball Official

JohnRussellwasbornJune12,1930,inLaurinburg,N.C.,tothelateMazareneRussellandthelateJohnD.Jones.HedepartedthislifeonThursday,April22,2010atForsythMedical

ParkinWinston-Salem,N.C.HewasanativeofLaurinburg,NorthCarolina,andheandhisbrotherLutherRussell,livedwiththeirgrandmother,MariahRussellmostoftheirlives.HegraduatedfromLaurinburgInstitutewherehe,alongwithDr.FrancesFosterandF.H.McDuffie,Jr.wererearedbyF.H.McDuffie,Sr.presidentoftheschoolandhiswife,SammieSellarsMcDuffie,asbrothersandsisters.

Asascholasticstar,RussellwentontoreceiveaBachelorofSciencedegreefromNorthCarolinaCentralUniversityinDurham,N.C.andaMaster’sdegreefromtheUniversityofNorthCarolinaatGreensboro.Hecontinuedhisathleticcareerasamemberofthebasketballandtennisteams.HewasprivilegedtobecoachedbythelegendaryJohnMcLendonandworld–renownedLeroyT.Walker.

Aftercollege,RussellwasinductedintotheU.S.ArmyandservedasadrillinstructoratFortRucker,Alabama,andlaterbecameDirectorofSpecialServicesatFortBragg,NorthCarolinawiththerankofsergeant.Hereceivedanhonorabledischargein1955.AfterhisArmytourofduty,hewasemployedasacoachandteacheratPetersonHighSchoolinRedSprings,NorthCarolina.

In1963RussellacceptedajobatWilliamPennHighSchoolinHighPoint,NorthCarolinaasahistoryteacherandassistantbasketballcoach.Afteroneyear,hemovedtoWinston-SalemtobecomeateacherofSocialStudiesandserveasanassistantbasketballandfootballcoach.Ayearlater,hetookajobwiththefederalgovernmentasaVISTA(VolunteersinServicetoAmerica)trainingofficer.

RussellwassummonedbacktoWilliamPennHighSchoolbySamBurfordafterworkingwiththefederalgovernmentfortwoyearstoserveasDeanofStudentsandDirectorofAthletics.Heremainedthereuntiltheschoolclosed,andhe,alongwiththeotherstaff,movedtoT.WingateAndrewsHighSchool.HeleftAndrewsandbecameprincipalofOakviewElementarySchool.HelaterworkedinthecentralofficeasAssistantTransportationDirector.HewasaskedtoserveasprincipaloftheExtendedSchoolDayProgram.Underhissupervision,theExtendedSchoolDayProgramgraduatedhundredsofstudentswhootherwisewouldhavedroppedoutofschool.

In1970,RussellbecameapioneerforminoritybasketballofficialsbybecomingthefirstBlacktoofficiatefortheAtlanticCoastConference.HelaterservedaspresidentoftheACCOfficials’Associationfortenyears.HewasinductedintotheCentralIntercollegiateAthleticConferenceHallofFameandtheMid-EasternAthleticConferenceHallofFameasabasketballofficial.HewasappointedtoofficiateattheInternationalJonesCupBasketballTournamentintheRepublicofChina.HewasalsoappointedtorepresenttheU.S.Governmentbyconductingbasketball

Order of WorshipPrelude

Processional

Invocation...............................................................Minister

Selection...................................................................Choir

ScripturalReadings OldTestament................Isaiah 61: 1-3.........PastorMackH.L.McConnel NewTestament...........1 Thessalonians 4: 13-18......................Minister

PrayerofComfort .......................................PastorTacumaS.Johnson

Solo.............................................................Mr.KelvinPhillips

Reflections(3 minutes).............................................Dr.OtisTillman Mr.JimBurch Mr.F.H.McDuffieJr. Mrs.WandaEdwards

Acknowledgements................................................ChurchOfficial

ObituaryReading(Silently)

Solo.............................................................Mr.KelvinPhillips

Eulogy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rev. Leonard FairleyRecessional

Interment..................................................GuilfordMemorialPark Greensboro,N.C.

Inlieuofflowers,donationsmaybesentto:GreaterFirstUnitedBaptistChurch

1409DeepRiverRoadHighPoint,N.C.27265

“In Gratitude”

We the members of the Russell Family know and believe that “Nothing can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” not even death. In the midst of our sorrow, our cup truly overflows as we gratefully acknowledge the love and concern you have so fully shared with us. Our hearts are full of gratitude for the many acts of concern and sympathy expressed during our time of sorrow and bereavement. A special thank you to Pastor Johnson and the Greater First United family for their love and support.

Russell ‘G-Daddy” was our special gift from God, and we give thanks. Our strength is guided by our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and we shall always remember with gratitude, your kind efforts to bring us comfort. We ask your continued prayers for our family. Thank you and may God richly bless each of you.

The Family of John Russell

John

Russ

ell

officiating clinics to train military personnel in Frankfurt, Germany, Izmir, Turkey, Athens,GreeceandAviano,Italy.

In 1979, First United Baptist Church elected Russell to serve as Chairman of its buildingcommittee.Heguidedthemembersthroughthedifficulttaskofpurchasinglandandoverseeingthebuildingofthechurch;servedasaTrusteeofFirstUnitedBaptistChurch,andalsotaughtSundaySchool.

In1989RussellretiredfromthepublicschoolsystemandacceptedapositionofSupervisorofBasketballOfficialsfortheMid-EasternAthleticConference.In2005,RussellwasinductedintotheGuilfordCountySportsHallofFame.

Russell is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc, has served on numerous civic andcommunity boards, and received extensive honors and awards. He was politically active formanyyearsandwasaformercandidatefortheNorthCarolinaHouseofRepresentatives.Russellsuccessfullymanagedseveralcitycouncilmen’scampaignsandservedasLocal21ChairpersonfortheSelectiveServiceSystemofGuilfordCounty.

Hewasprecededindeathbyhisparents,onebrother;LutherRussellandonesister,ThelmaWare.

Heleavestocherishhismemory:adevotedwifeoffiftyeightyears,CarmelleRussellofthehome;threedaughters,JoannHawkinsofRaleigh,N.C.,WandaEdwards(Leon)ofCharlotte,N.C.,andCherylTurner(John)ofCharlotte,N.C.;twosons,JohnMalloy(Bernit’ta)ofRomeoville,Illinois and Ronald Russell (Marie) of Snellville, Georgia; one sister, Joyce Maxwell (Duane)of High Point, N.C.; three brothers-in-law, Albert Ware of High Point, N.C., Ralph Mitchell(Ruth)ofWalnutCove,N.C.andLloydMarvinMitchell(Monique)ofWashington,D.C.;fifteengrandchildren,SeanMalloy,TanyaJohnson,RashadMalloy,CarmenMcSwain,MariahWenz,StevenEdwards, JohnTurner, Jr.,MatthewEdwards,CaraElaineTurner, JoshuaRussell, JonCole Russell, Bradley Malloy, Bradford Malloy, Brent Malloy and Isabella Malloy; five greatgrandchildren, Thomas Garrett, D’ontray Johnson, Khary Malloy, Gabriel Malloy, BenjaminMalloyandahostofnieces,nephews,cousins,otherrelativesandfriends