Thomas Reid Russell

Published 1:00 am Thursday, February 25, 2016

Aug 23, 1940 – Feb. 11, 2016

Thomas (Tom) Reid Russell was born the second child of Merle and Minnie (Thomas) Russell, August 23, 1940 in Madera, California. Tom passed on February 11, 2016 at 11 a.m. after 11 days in the Bend Hospice House. He and his wife just began 11 years of living in the Sunriver area.

Tom attended Madera High School and graduated from Fresno High School and Fresno City College. He served in the California Army National Guard. Tom and Carolyn (Knieriemen) were married June 6, 1964 in the Sierra Vista Methodist Church, Fresno, California. They were married 51 years.

He was employed with the Fresno County Treasurer/Tax Collector’s office and Fresno County Superior Court for 25 years. January 1987 he began working for the San Joaquin County Treasurer/Tax Collector’s office in Stockton, California as the assistant to the Treasurer/Tax Collector. Four years later he was elected to this office by the San Joaquin County voters. He was again elected two more times.

Upon retiring Tom and Carolyn moved back to Fresno County and they resided in the Mile High area of Auberry, California. Then in February 2005 they made a move to the Sunriver area of Oregon.

Throughout the years, Tom was a board member of the Fresno County Credit Union, serving as president, a member of the San Joaquin County Retirement Board, and currently a board member of the Sunriver Nature Center/Oregon Observatory. A life member of the Elks, a member of the following: the Deschutes River Recreation Homesites club, past treasurer of the Sunriver Potluck committee, past wagon master of the Bend Elks RV club, and the Rimrock Roamers RV club, In the past he was a volunteer at the High Desert Museum, Bend, Oregon, helping run the sawmill and giving tours of the Spirit of the West. Currently he was a volunteer of the Second Tern, a thrift shop for the Sunriver Nature Center/Observatory.

Tom and Carolyn enjoyed RVing and traveling throughout Oregon and Washington, plus additional trips to other states. He especially enjoyed spending a week in Pendleton, Oregon during the Pendleton roundup/rodeo. They also traveled with the Sunriver Travel Club visiting the East Coast and other locations throughout the United States.

He enjoyed spending time with his family and his two granddaughters were a great joy to him. When his two children were growing up he was involved with the Fresno YMCA Indian Princess and Guide program, and also attending their sports games and school activities. He enjoyed reading books about the history of Oregon and the people. Each day he enjoyed feeding his backyard squirrels and birds.

Tom is survived by his wife, Carolyn; daughter, Elaine; son Jason and his wife Angie all of Oregon; his sister Carole Lynn Martin, of California, his granddaughters, Alexis and Jolie of Oregon and his pal, Goldie his dog.

Memorial Donations:

Sunriver Nature Center/Oregon Observatory, P. O. Box 3533, Sunriver, OR 97707 (541) 593-4394.

Humane Society of Central Oregon, 61170 SE 27th Street, Bend, OR 97702, (541) 382-3537.

Partners in Care, Bend Hospice House, 2075 NE Wyatt Court, Bend, OR 97701, (541) 382-5882.

Cemetery: Graveside services were held at the Mountainside Cemetery, Hillsboro, Oregon on February 15, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. Steve Jaquith, officiated.

Arrangements by Springer and Son Funeral Home, Aloha, OR.