Born in Thomasville and grew up in Dawson Street United Methodist, but was a “Sunbeam” and Royal Ambassador with my best friend Bobby who was of the Baptist persuasion. After high school where I ran track and flunked at football, I attended Middle GA College, transferred to Mercer University where I was a member of Kappa Alpha Order, and graduated by God’s mercy in 1970.
After seven years with the State of Georgia, working in mental health, I decided to attend Seminary at Emory University. My pastor at the time, Charles Sineath, at Norcross First United Methodist church was a powerful influence because I could see God’s Spirit in a very human person.
I was ordained deacon in 1979 and elder in 1981. Assigned to Albany First UMC in 1980, I met a lovely brunette who was a great softball player, sang in the choir, and was a lab tech at the time. After being appointed to the Blakely Circuit in 1982, I decided it was time to get married if Deanna would have me. She wore rose colored glasses and said, “yes.”
We moved to Cuthbert in 1986 and Amanda was born one month later. I taught at Andrew College and served the church, often with Amanda in a backpack, since Deanna returned to college to get a teaching degree. Brian came along four years later, 1990, just before we moved to Pelham and Hand Memorial UMC.
The five years at Pelham were good and bad. We got to know Deanna’s grandmother very well as she did a lot of baby sitting for us. In 1994 my daddy died of lung cancer due to cigarette smoking most of his life. (I still hate cigarettes!)
In 1995 or 1996 (I get confused) we were sent to Cornerstone UMC in Valdosta. It was a good but very painful experience for me and my family. We left after one year and went to Leesburg UMC. Leesburg was quite a contrast to Cornerstone, but Leesburg was the place Brian went through elementary school, Deanna taught sixth grade, and Amanda was most improved on the AAAAA soccer team as a sophomore. Later Amanda received a soccer scholarship to Dalton College in Albany Georgia where her team was second in the nation.
The next seven years were in Eastman where I really enjoyed being a parent of high school children. Amanda was selected to be on the Homecoming Court and Brian was a standout on the soccer and golf teams in Middle School and soccer and football teams in High School. Deanna taught seventh grade in Wheeler County, and was a Bulldog over there.
Now we are in Nashville where Deanna teaches sixth grade language arts and social studies. Amanda is in her final year at Valdosta State University majoring in Sports Medicine; Brian is a junior at VSU where he is a kicker on the football team and is a criminal justice major with plans to go to law school. (Send money!)
I enjoy preaching and most things that occur in the out-of-doors. My mother still lives in her own home in Thomasville. If I had to sum up these stages of my life I think I would sing if I could, “Through it all, I have learned to trust in Jesus, I have learned to trust in God.”
Blessings -Russ
