Robert Russell

Robert Russell
April 17, 2022
Warrensburg, Missouri - In the spirit of one of his favorite "Bobisms," "Don't rust out, wear out," Robert Russell, 86, wore out his earthly body on Easter Sunday, 2022.
Affectionately known to most as Bob or "Judge," Robert was an Army brat. Though they moved many times throughout his childhood, his family's home base was Cape Girardeau, Missouri. While their father served in Europe during the Second World War, Bob and his brother spent many summers with their beloved grandfather, cultivating a love of fishing, sports and the outdoors.
As a young man, Bob delighted in the many moves around the US and world, culminating in junior high spent in the Philippines and high school in Tokyo, Japan during the occupation. He attributed his easy transition from place to place and school to school to his love of sports, the universal language of friendship. Football, basketball, baseball, volleyball and track all came easily to him and he excelled in all. Bob moved his senior year to Pacific Grove, California and though he only knew his classmates for one year, he stayed in touch with them his entire life as if they'd grown up together.
Bob went to Fresno State to play football as a freshman, garnering a 4.0 his first semester and a 0.0 (according to him), the second. His father declared he had two choices: get a job or join the army. He chose the latter. Bob achieved the rank of Army Specialist and continued to take pride in his service the remainder of his life.
Returning to the states, Bob attended the University of Kansas, as his family was stationed at nearby Ft. Leavenworth. A devoted member of Sigma Chi fraternity, he was a two-time All American athlete in Men's Volleyball. As frustrating as Jayhawk football was to him, KU basketball overdelivered. He was elated to watch Kansas secure a fifth national championship just a week before his death, leaving him with a one up on all his friends.
Bob attended the University of Missouri School of Law where he truly found his calling and love of the law for its ability to help people. He also found the love of his life, the beautiful and strong, Sandy Morris. They married soon after his graduation. After clerking for the Honorable Floyd Gibson, Bob joined the Popham firm in Kansas City. While at Popham, he was honored with the Lon O. Hocker Award, representing the best young trial attorney in the state of Missouri.
As he and Sandy were building a young family and wanted their children to grow up in a small town, he joined the Honorable David Dixon in private practice in Warrensburg, Missouri. It was in Warrensburg that Bob and Sandy found their lifetime home and community. In 1970, at the age of 34, Bob was appointed by Governor Warren E. Hearnes to Circuit Judge of the 17th Judicial Circuit. At that time, he was the youngest Circuit judge on the bench. Known for his tremendous knowledge of the law, deep empathy and fairness, Bob earned his lifelong nickname, "the Judge."
Bob was an active member of the Warrensburg community his entire life, supporting athletes and students at all levels, from elementary to UCM. Along the way, he befriended and mentored so many people, it would be impossible to begin to calculate. He loved people and felt his greatest calling was to help others in ways large, small and oftentimes, unspoken. Known for his booming voice and the gift of song, his enormous presence was felt wherever he went.
Judge Russell retired from the bench in 1986 and joined his partner, Mark T. Kempton, for the remainder of his legal career, only retiring from practice in August of 2021. Bob and Mark had an extraordinary partnership and friendship, never once having a disagreement in nearly 35 years as partners.
Bob is predeceased by his parents, Colonel Joseph P. Russell and Louise Walker Russell, his adored wife of nearly 50 years, Sandy Morris Russell, and many of his dearest friends.
Brother to Rusty and Sherry, father to Rob (Kelly), Randy (Ann), and Beth, grandfather to Carly, Ryan, Andrew and Nicholas, favorite uncle and mentor to Dean and Arnold, Bob leaves a legacy of influence and friendship that extends well beyond his beloved family. One of his greatest gifts and legacy will be the countless lives touched (and bettered), the many (many) friendships cultivated, and the contagious joy infused along the way. It is an impossible task to adequately sum up a life so extraordinarily and passionately well lived. Suffice it to say, there will never be another "Judge."
At Bob's request, there will be no funeral, but instead a celebration of his remarkable life on Thursday, April 28 from 5-8 PM at Milestones in Warrensburg, MO.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Manna Harvest, c/o Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church, 212 North Main, Warrensburg, MO 64093 and/or the Nurturing Nurses Program at WMMC, 403 Burkarth Road, Warrensburg, MO. Or, just do something nice for someone else, quietly or loudly, in his memory. That would be the most appropriate tribute to Bob we could make.