John B Russell

John Russell was born in Lenoir County, North Carolina to his late parents Charlotte Bryce Wooten Russell, and Elliott Swann Russell. He graduated from the Kinston city schools and received a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the North Carolina State University. One of Kinston’s Favorite Sons, John helped his father farm tobacco and cotton until he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1943. He was trained as a bomb site mechanic and served his country in France and Germany returning to Kinston after the end of the war. Upon his return he enrolled in UNC then transferred to UNC State where he completed his degree and took a job with General Metals in Greensboro. During that time, he met and married “the prettiest girl in the room,” Peggy Sue Taylor of Newton-Conover and New York City, NY. They married in Greensboro on February 23, 1952, and remained together until her death in 2018. During their marriage, he supported his wife in her pursuit of a more musical world, and he supported his two children John Spotswood Russell and Susan Bryce Russell in their pursuit of a more literary, creative, and loving world.

John was preceded in death by his beloved son John S. Russell and his astonishing wife Peggy Taylor Russell. He is survived by his adoring daughter Susan and her wife Elizabeth Ann Nackley, his adored daughter-in-law Kelley Dixon Russell, his loving grandchildren and step-grandchildren, Caroline Spotswood Russell Howe and her husband Justin Paul Brayer Howe of Charlotte, Margaret Taylor Russell See and her husband John Forest See II of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, Catherine Brooks Russell Martin and her husband Mathew Charles Martin of Pittsburgh, PA, Roddy Jane Moye of Raleigh, Ross Fields Moye of Denver, CO, and Elizabeth Anne Moye of Raleigh. He is also survived by three extraordinary great grandchildren, George Spotswood Russell Howe and Oliver Hayes Justin Howe of Charlotte, and John Forest See III of Ft. Lauderdale, FL. The family would like to express their appreciation and unending gratitude to the health care professionals at Friends Home West where John and Peggy received the love and care everyone deserves after living such long, loving, and engaging lives. In lieu of flowers, please contribute in his name to your local food pantry.

There will be no formal services at this time.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com for the Russell family.