Tommy Joe Russell

Graveside service for Tommy Joe Russell will be 10 a.m., Tues., July 29, at Highland Cemetery with Luther Martin officiating. Burial will follow under the direction of the Inola Funeral Home & Crematory. Visitation will be held at the funeral home Mon. 1-8 p.m., and family will greet friends 6-8 p.m.

Tommy passed away Fri., July 25, 2014, at his home at the age of 70.

The son of Norman Franklin and Mary Pauline (Pearson) Russell was born July 13, 1944, in Ardmore, Oklahoma Shortly after his birth he and his family moved to Inola. Once there he and his family began to establish there family farm. Tommy began attending Inola schools, graduating as part of the class of 1962. On April 11, 1964 he married fellow classmate Mary Fowlkes. Wanting to learn a trade Tommy enrolled at Tulsa Welding School. Upon completion of the course he began working for Unit Rigg & Equipment retiring from there in 1980. Then in 1982 he began his second career at American Airlines. He retired from there in December of 2008 after 26 years of service. Tommy then found more time to concentrate on his favorite job of all, his ranch. Tommy had carried on the tradition of farming and ranching his parents had started many years ago. Taking care of his cattle and running the day to day operation of the ranch was his true love. In fact he enjoyed animals so much that he was known to keep almost every stray critter that found its way to him. However he did find time to enjoy some other hobbies now and then, such as hunting, riding motorcycles and working on old cars to name a few.

He is preceded in death by his parents Norman and Mary Russell.

Survivors include his daughter, Cyndy Johnson of Sun Prairie, Wisconsin; son, Clint Russell and wife Lara of Inola; grandsons, James and Cooper Russell of Inola; granddaughters, Chloe and Macy Russell of Inola, and Courtney Johnson of Seattle, Washington; sister, Nancy Burns of Verdigris; nephew, Andy Burns and wife Catherine of Verdigris, Dan Burns and wife Christine of Odessa, Texas; and half sister, Wanda Russell of Tulsa.