The SERVICE for "Uncle Clark" will be held at 12:00 noon on Thursday, October 13, 2016 at Hill & Son Funeral Home.

Jerry Johannigmeier will be OFFICIATING at the service.

VISITATION will be held from 11:00 am - 12:00 noon before the service at the funeral home.

INTERMENT will be in the Rockville Cemetery.

The family suggests any MEMORIAL donations be given to Heartland Hospice.

Charles Clark "Uncle Clark" Russell, Jr. age 89, was born August 27, 1927 in Saline, Missouri, the son of Charles, Sr. "C.C." and Ila Faye (Wharton) Russell. He departed this life unexpectedly October 8, 2016 at Appleton City Manor Nursing Home.

Clark attended Eldon Elementary School completing the 8 ^th grade then going to work on the farm with his father as so many farm families' children did from his era. Clark enjoyed snow and wintertime especially. He would arrive at school early gathering snow and making snowballs that he would throw at his classmates coming to school on time. He continued his snowball throwing even when he was in the nursing home. With the help of the staff Uncle Clark would heave a few snowballs out of his room at unsuspecting staff members coming down the hall.

Clark worked hard on the farm helping with dairy cows and raising registered white faced Hereford cattle. Clark lived most of his early years in Eldon living and working on the family farm.

In 1979 he moved to Independence to live with his niece Joyce Rector and her husband Johnny. He was amazed at "city things" as he'd not been away from the farm often. He especially loved to ride the escalator at the mall. Johnny, Joyce and Clark moved to Rockville, Missouri in 1994. He loved the outdoors. He bought, raised and trained a work horse, Baldy, which he loved to ride as well. Baldy was a gentle horse that waited patiently until Clark was able to get on and behaved especially well when taking kids rides.

As he became older, family, friends and neighbors alike called him "Uncle Clark". He owned some fox hounds which he loved to hear "bay" as they chased through the woods. For years he went to the sale barn every Friday even if he had to walk to get there. Uncle Clark loved animals and they seemed to know that. He would sit on the porch and the squirrels would come up and eat from his hand.

Uncle Clark was preceded in death by his parents, one brother Homer Russell and one sister Betty Jean Minor. Survivors include one brother Clarence "Curly" Russell (Mary) and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews, including: Joyce and Johnny Rector, Bill and Frankie Minor and Marie and Bob Hixson.