John Russell (September 20, 1941 - March 20, 2025)

John was born in St. Louis to Emerson and Olga Russell. He is survived by his loving partner, Kathleen (Lulu) Dunsford; his sister, Roxanne Russell Wallace; his stepdaughter, Jessica Warneke (Stafford) and handsome grandsons, Max, Augie, and James Warneke; his former wife, Barbara Roberts Russell; and many cherished cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends.

John was in the Marine Corps for three years and went to Vanderbilt University before working in the trust department at a bank in Nashville, TN. He was an attorney working for the IRS in Washington, DC for three years before starting his own law practice in St. Louis from 1974-2017.

He played basketball at Vanderbilt and was ALL-SEC for two years in the 60s, one of the best players for the Commodores. He also was assistant coach while attending law school on scholarship at Vanderbilt.

In John’s leisure time, he coached developmentally challenged athletes for St. Louis ARC basketball, softball, golf, and track for 43 years. He also volunteered for Meals on Wheels and prepared meals for the homeless at Biddle House and St. Patrick’s Center. He enjoyed travel, camping, backpacking, reading, art, history, coffee shops, musical venues, and cheering for his grandsons’ sporting events.

He was loved by everyone who had the pleasure of crossing his path.

Services: Lutheran Church of Webster Groves, 8749 Watson Rd. 63119, on Friday April 11 at 12 noon. 

Memorials may be made to St. Louis ARC, Leisure Department, 1177 North Warson Road, St. Louis, MO 63132 or Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Co-Pay Assistance Program, P.O. Box 12268, Newport News, VA 23612.

This obituary was published on the Kutis Funeral Home website on March 22, 2025.