AVERY MILTON RUSSELL

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by Irma Collins and Alma Dobra July 1994

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Avery Milton Russell was born on January 4, 1923 in Grass Valley, Oregon. He was the son of Arch and Cora Russell. Avery had four older brothers and sisters, Deston, Forest, Lois and Greta. Four years later, Arch and Cora had twin girls, Alma and Irma. Seventeen months later, they had twin boys, Benjamin and Robert. Robert died six months later of pneumonia.

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Arch and Cora had a 2,000 acre wheat ranch in Grass Valley which they lost during the depression. They were a hardworking, happy family and enjoyed special occasions with relatives and friends. They were also very faithful in the First Baptist church of Grass Valley, Oregon, which celebrated its 100 year anniversary in June 1994.

The family moved to Lyle, Washington in 1934 with the five younger children. During two years of high school, Avery lived with Cliff and Lois Macy in Portland and attended Benson Polytechnic School.

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He joined the Navy before graduating from high school. He spent several years in the Pacific theater during WWII on a subchasers and/or P.T. boats. Once during his tour of duty when he was in the Coral Sea, there was a bad typhoon. He was also in the Solomon Islands. In some of his letters home, he would tell us to say “hello” to “Mary Anne”. We didn’t know any Mary Anne and finally realized that he was telling us where he was –in the Marianas Islands. Some of Avery’s navy gear is on display at Fort Clapsop.

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After Avery got out of the navy, he worked for the Newberg Police Department. He was also an electrician, a trade he learned in the navy. At one time, he was a motorcycle policeman. One day, in June 1946, when he was after a speeding car, he had a head-on collision with another car which was driving on the wrong side of the road. He was unconscious in the hospital for over a week before his parents and Irma and Alma found out about it, because Irma and Jack were to be married on June 9th and the other brothers and sisters didn’t want to upset those wedding plans. Avery recovered without any complications for which we thank the Lord.

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Avery married Shirley Ryals on February 6, 1949. They lived in Newberg for a time and after Avery resigned from the police force, they moved to Portland where he worked as an electrician full time. They had four children, Pamela Maurene, Timothy Mark, Stephen Arch and Shelley Sur. Avery was like his father, Arch in that he enjoyed getting his sisters and brothers together, especially on the fourth of July and Thanksgiving. After his father passed away on July 4, 1953, his mother Cora lived with them for a time.

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Avery and Shirley were divorced and Avery moved to Seaside. He worked as an electrician on various bridges, dams, and the Trojan plant and large construction sites in Oregon and Washington. Avery married Dora Vuylsteke on September 20, 1986 in Seaside. They enjoyed traveling to Hawaii, Canada and spent several winters in Arizona and California. They enjoyed the coast and the ocean.

 

Avery developed congestive heart failure and diabetes. He had several heart attacks and also a heart by-pass surgery. They were very sad when they realized their yearly trips were over and they had to sell their 5th wheeler R.V. He passed away on April 22, 1994. He is buried at the Warrenton, Oregon cemetery.

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