Russell Masterson Poole Jr.

Russell Masterson Poole, Jr., 78, a resident of Dothan passed away Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at a local hospital. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 8, 2016 at Dothan First Church of the Nazarene with Rev. Kevin Knight officiating. Burial with Military Honors will follow at 4:30 p.m. at Antioch Church Cemetery in Bruce, FL. The family will receive friends from 1-2:00 p.m. prior to the service at the church. Mr. Poole was born December 27, 1937 in San Pedro, CA and lived the early part of his life in Birmingham, AL graduating from Ensley High School. He attended the University of Alabama as well as Auburn University before graduating from Birmingham Southern with a degree in History & Political Science. He later attained his Masters Degree from Troy University in Dothan. He served in the U.S. Army and later served in the U.S. Navy for 11 years. He attained the rank of LTJG and was a veteran of the Vietnam War where he flew a total of 147 missions in an A-6 Intruder from the deck of the USS Constellation Aircraft Carrier. Mr. Poole was later employed as the Human Resources Manager with Globe Motors, Gates and Swedish Match, retiring in 2009. He was a member of the Dothan First Church of the Nazarene, the Tail Hook Association, and the Dothan Elks Lodge. He was a volunteer with the Brown Bag Program, the Dothan Rescue Mission, and Harbor Church. Mr. Poole was preceded in death by his parents, Russell and Bessie Poole, and his sisters, Dr. Jeannette P. Ward, Jacqueline Poole, and Joy Poole. Survivors include his wife Rebecca Byrd Poole; his daughters, Jennifer Poole Merritt and Ashley Poole Meadows; his grandchildren, Justin Meadows and Rob Masterson Merritt; his In-laws, Aulton and Syble Byrd; his brothers-in-law, Thaddeus Byrd and Joseph Byrd; his sister-in-law, Kimberly Byrd; numerous nieces and nephews. Serving as pallbearers will be Justin Meadows, Rob Merritt, Thaddeus Byrd, Joseph Byrd, Bryan Hefner, and John Dunn. Honorary pallbearers will be Ed Clark, Aulton Byrd, Travis Byrd, Dillon Byrd, Chance Byrd, Cary Byrd, Ricky Byrd, Joey Ward Erwin, Collin Byrd, Colten Byrd, Jack Byrd, and Conner Bates. www.SunsetMemorialPark.com.