Russell Lee Grindle

Russell Lee Grindle, age 80, of Murphy, Texas, passed away March 11, 2014 in his home surrounded by his loving family. He was born July 10, 1933 in Heshbon, Pennsylvania to Robert Samuel and Virginia Marie Grindle. He grew up in Seward and Johnstown with his two brothers and two sisters, before joining the United States Air Force at the age of 17. After serving in Germany, France and Korea, he returned home to meet his loving wife, Ruth Ann Forsha. They were married in 1955 before moving to San Antonio to continue his service. Russ honored his country in the United States Air Force for 17 years, which included a tour in the Korean War and assignments in Japan, Texas, Maine, Hawaii and Australia. Four years in the United States Army brought him to Washington, Maryland, Germany, New Jersey and Vietnam. During two tours of duty in the Vietnam War, Russ earned a Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medal. After 21 total years of service, he retired from the military as a Chief Warrant Officer, and accepted a job in San Antonio, Texas with the US Customs Agency Service. In 1976, the Drug Enforcement Administration brought him to the Dallas area, where he and his family settled in Murphy, Texas. Russ continued his public service with the Department of Justice until 1981, when he entered into the private sector working as an engineer for companies including Signal Services, Motorola, U.S. Sprint, Global Integrated Systems and WAI-Wize. Russ also managed radio contracts for numerous cities across the United States and played an integral role in expanding the DART Communication systems throughout the Dallas area before retiring in 2008. Russ is survived by his wife of fifty-eight years, Ann Grindle; four daughters, Jeannie Roth and her husband, Alan, their daughter, Deanna Cooper and her husband, Brad and their children, Katie, Faith, Dylan and Taylor; Linda Garber and her husband, Chip and their children, Rusty, Laurie Beth and Derek; Lori Sheets and her husband, Kevin and their children, Haley and Hunter; Suzanne Grindle Roberts and her children, Nicole and Zack; brother, Robert Grindle; two sisters, Joyce Isaacson and her husband, Dutch and Susan Henry and her husband, Tom; two brothers in-law, Ed Bauman and Tom Forsha and his wife, Karen; many nieces and nephews and other family members. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Dennis Grindle; and two sisters in-law, Bernice Grindle and Mary Bauman. In honor of his lifelong generosity and kind heart, the family requests donations be made to the following veterans organizations in lieu of flowers, Operation Homefront (www.operationhomefront.net) or the Fisher House Foundation (www.fisherhouse.org).