Russell Clark Lang

Jan. 5, 1935 – Aug. 24, 2018

Russell C. Lang, 83 years of Craig, passed away Friday, Aug. 24, 2018, at Nye Pointe in Fremont.

Russell Clark Lang was born Jan. 5, 1935, to Richard and Elizabeth (Skinner) Lang at the hospital in Tekamah, Nebraska. He was raised with his four siblings on the family farm in northwest Washington County. His childhood was filled with traditional farm tasks, 4-H and activities at the Alder Grove church. He graduated from the Alder Grove School in 1948 and from Craig High School in 1953. In high school he participated in athletics, plays, speech and music.

He attended Nebraska Wesleyan University for two years where he was a member of Phi Kappa Tau fraternity and the male a cappella choir. He transferred to the University of Nebraska College of Agriculture and graduated with high distinction in 1956. He obtained his Master of Science degree in Agronomy in January 1958. He attended additional graduate school at Perkins School of Theology, Dallas, Texas and Scarritt College, Nashville, Tennessee. In Nashville he met Nancy Hinton. She was an Extension Agent in Davidson County. They were married at Church Street United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, on Dec. 26, 1959, after a long-distance courtship while he attended Spanish language school in San Jose, Costa Rica.

In February 1960 they sailed for Chile to begin work as agricultural missionaries of the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church at El Vergel, Angol. While in Chile he was teacher and director of the Agricultural School, assistant manager of the farm and preached regularly in churches in the area. In August 1974, Russell, Nancy and family returned to Nebraska and resided at Alder Grove. He taught agriculture at Tekamah-Herman High School for one year and then joined the Extension Service as a county agent in Dodge County, Fremont where he served until 1998.

Nancy and Russell had five children: Cristina of Grand Prairie, Texas, Rowan (Kim) of Omaha, Wesley (Lauren) of Leesburg, Virginia, Jonathan of Naperville, Illinois, and Robert (Anita) of Kenosha, Wisconsin. They have 12 grandchildren: Mauricio, Danika, Ryan, Jason, Bryce, Silas, Keenan, Kallin, Karson, Orlando, Pablo and Esteban. His wife Nancy passed away in 2008.

Brothers and sisters include: Joan Price of Oakland, Wayne of Fairview, North Carolina, Charles of Orlando, Florida, and Kathy of Elgin, Texas.

Russell was a member of the Alder Grove United Methodist Church where he served in several capacities, the American Philatelic Society, the Methodist Philatelic Society, the Cresap Society, the Fremont Optimist Club, where he was president and a lieutenant governor, the Nebraska Association of Extension Agents and the National Association of County Extension Agents.

After retirement, Russell worked on projects around his interests in local history. He wrote five historical books including: The Family of John and Minnie Skinner, Alder Grove Community, Church and School, The Original Land Transfers of Nebraska and A Craig Scrapbook.

The funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, at Alder Grove United Methodist Church, rural Craig. Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday at Pelan Funeral Services Oakland. Visitation will also be held one hour prior to services at the church. Burial will be in Alder Grove Cemetery, rural Craig.

Memorials are suggested to the Dodge County Fair or donor's choice.