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Glenn Wayne Russell, 78, of Kittanning, passed away Thursday, December 24, 2020 at ACMH Hospital. He was born March 28, 1942 in Pittsburgh to the late Chester H. and Vera F. (Clark) Russell.
In Glenn’s young years he lived in Sisterville, PA, and went to Easley School, a one room school. When North Buffalo Elementary school was opened, he went there for a partial sixth grade. Then he moved to Freeport and did JR. High and tenth grade there. Glenn moved to Kittanning on Briar Hill Road and went to Kittanning for eleventh and twelve grades, graduating in 1960.
He worked at local service stations in Kittanning Highlands; Sabastian’s and Higgison’s Atlantic. He moved to Ohio for work in Bucyrus and then to Crestline. In Crestline, he worked for Rader’s Texaco service station and garage, where he was a mechanic. He always loved working on cars.
Glenn married Portia, a Kittanning girl, in July of 1963; they lived in Crestline, Ohio. Their first daughter Melanie was born there. In 1964, a new Boron Station was being built in Kittanning. He got hired there and moved back to the Kittanning area. In 1966, Glenn got hired at Allegheny Ludlum in Brackenridge, and worked in a variety of departments. The couple’s second daughter Juliet was born in 1967. He did an apprenticeship in the Garage/Loco Shop; half of the time he was keeping trucks mechanically on the road transporting steel to the Leechburg Mill. He was out on the highway fixing breakdowns too. The last half of the job he worked in the locomotive shop. Anything that ran on tracks was fixed in the shop; all the train engines and cars used. Cranes ran on tracks in the plant and outside taking care of scraps to make steel, plus other ingredients to make it. They rebuilt older locomotives to bring up to date the control boxes. He retired in 1997, after a few years he drove a mini school bus for Barker’s for four or five years.
His faith, family, and job were his life. When he was young, he and his family attended The Freeport Gospel Tabernacle, now the Evangel Heights. After his marriage his wife and he joined the First Brethren Church in West Kittanning now the Grace Brethren Church. A faithful worker there, he held many jobs over the years. He worked with the Christian Service Brigade, in the early 70’s till about 1995. He was a Sunday School Teacher to the elementary aged children. Glenn was also a Wednesday night teacher and did gym time in the gym. He was also a Bible School helper, trustee, and deacon, elder, usher, and head usher. He also did communion and baptismal services. Glenn headed up the care of the church’s mini bus and vans over the years. He also served as the church and Grace Christian School janitor; a family job. He loved to paint at the church and the school, and help anyway he could.
Glenn was the West Kittanning assessor for a few years, he also worked the election polls till November of 2020.
Glenn and his family liked to camp. Mainly in Western Pennsylvania; he loved Cooks Forest State Park and Clear Creek State Park, from tents, pickup, with shells on, motor homes, and pull trailers. The family was permanent campers at Deer Meadow Campground for 13 years. Many wonderful family memories were had. He also loved to quad ride and later got a side by side.
Glenn liked cars, he went to the 422 auction, where he would get a good potential car and fix it up and sell it. He liked having the vehicles he had; four of them from the auction and they were well maintained. He also had a 1951 Chevrolet patina finish, with a big stuffed dog in the back seat for people to enjoy as we drove by! He liked going to car shows, people sought him out for advice on vehicles, buying or fixing them.
Glenn was a loving family man; he liked people with a positive personality and always liked to help people. He was a wonderful handyman, who could fix about anything.
Glenn was survived by his wife of 57 years whom he married July 8, 1963 Portia (Hawley) Russell of West Kittanning; daughters Melanie Stitt and her companion Lee Meadows Jr. of Williamsville, Virginia; Juliet Lonchena and her husband Terry of Butler, PA; three grandchildren Matthew Cornwell and Emily Cullum of Kittanning; Lindsey Cornwell of Pittsburgh; Venessa Lonchena of Butler, PA; brother Chester (Dorothy Churchill) Russell of Apollo, PA; sister in law Joan (Nathaniel) Russell of Kittanning; two great grandchildren to which he was “Poppop” and loved it; Grayson and Meirabelle Cornwell both of Kittanning.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters Shirley Erb Gruel, Lois Holcombe Henry, and Dona Jordan; Brothers Edwin Clark Russell and James Lee Russell.
Friends will be received on Friday, January 8, 2021 from 5:00 to 9:00 pm at the Snyder-Crissman Funeral Home in Kittanning, a funeral service will be held on Saturday, January 9, 2021 at the Grace Brethren Church in West Kittanning with additional visitation at the church from 10:00 am until the time of the service at 11:00am with Rev. Larry Edwards and Rev. Mark Cornwell officiating. Interment will be in the Freeport Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Glenn’s honor to the Grace Brethren Church or Grace Christian School both at 215 Arthur Street, Kittanning, PA 16201
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Grace Christian School
215 Arthur Street, Kittanning PA 16201
Grace Brethren Church
215 Arthur Street, Kittanning PA 16201