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Frank Russell

June 23, 2001

Frank H.M. Russell

1911-2001



The Russell family of Castlegar, BC wish to remember & celebrate the life

of Frank Russell, our Dad, the Millwright, who passed away in Castlegar

& District Community Health Centre on June 23rd, 2001.


Frank was born on February 20th, 1911 on the farm NE 22-23-4-W2ND

in Hilltop School District south of Yorkton, Sask. to Edmund & Mary

Elizabeth (Cross) Russell. He received his education at Hilltop School

& worked on the farm & for neighboring farmers.


In 1940, Frank went to visit his youngest brother, Leonard, who was

working as a mechanic in a garage in Tamworth, Ontario with a view to

finding work. Frank & Leonard attended the Kingston, Collegiate

Vocational Institute (KCVI) in Kingston Ontario where they were trained

as machinists. They worked for the Canadian Locomotive Company in Kingston where they became lead hands in the machine shops. It had

become war industries & some of the work was making wheels for tanks

& shells for the Navy guns in WWII.


Leonard went oversees in 1942 & was stationed in England as an army mechanic & after the war did repair work on army vehicles in Continental Europe. Frank worked for the Canadian Locomotive Company until 1944 when he went to work for the Monarch Battery Company in Kingston.


Frank was united in marriage to Monica Mary Sample, formerly of the Good Hope District south of Yorkton SK, Nov. 29th, 1941 in Kingston, Ont.

Two sons were born in the Kingston General Hospital;

John in 1943 & William in 1945.


In 1946, Frank & Mary with the boys, returned to Yorkton with a view

to farming. This didn’t work out & they built their first Gas & Grocery Service Station on No. 9 Hwy, 17 miles (27kms) south of Yorkton in the Hilltop District. They operated the service station until 1950 when they sold it to a retired farmer, Alex Phelps who renamed it Dad’s G & G. They rented a house near Yorkton & in 1951 built their 2nd Gas & Grocery Service Station 3 miles (4.8km) south of Yorkton on No. 9 Hwy in the Pebble Lake District. They operated this Service Station until closing it in 1961.


Frank worked for the Kozan-Hood Hardware & other Businesses in Yorkton & as a millwright for Potash Mines in SK. in the 1960’s, while Mary worked for Howie’s Jewellery, Baker’s Drugstore & Preston Pharmacy in Yorkton.


Frank was gifted at working with machinery & carpentry. While working as a machinist in Kingston, On., he made a butcher knife, another

kitchen knife & a jack. While operating the 2nd Russell Service Station

he made a snowblower mounted on the power take-off of a Fordson

tractor and a blade for the front. He also made a lawnmower with

a gas engine & top off a barrel.


In 1972, Frank & Mary moved to Victoria, BC & Frank worked for Mills on Vancouver Island while Mary worked for McGill & Orme Surgical

Supplies as a fitter & Assistant Manager. After retirement, in 1988, they moved to Salmo BC near Castlegar to be close to their eldest son John & Phyllis Russell who operate Russell Auction. In 1991, they moved to

Raspberry Village near Castlegar where Mary continues to live.

Their son, Bill, lives nearby in Robson.


Frank loved music & going to dances with Mary. He played the fiddle,

the 5-string Banjo that belonged to his father Edmund and the guitar.

Frank was predeceased by brothers-in Law Laurie Michael (1978) & Fred Beck (1983), a sister Ada Beck, a brother Arthur, & Gertrude May Russell (1994) & a nephew, Edmund Beck (2001). His brother, Leonard, passed away in Victoria, BC (2002).


Frank is survived by his wife, Monica Mary, son John & Phyllis Russell and son Bill Russell, a sister, Mabel T.R. Michael and a brother-in-law,

John Sample, both of Yorkton Sk. Three grandchildren; Judy Allen (Jeff) of Shawnigan Lake BC., Robin Russell of Castlegar BC., and Harold Russell of Calgary, AB. Four great-grandchildren; Alexander & Amberlee Allen of Shawnigan Lake BC., and Dyon & Samantha Grant and their mother, Angelina Grant of Peterborough ON.


A memorial service was held in the Valley Funeral Home

in Trail BC. followed by cremation.

The Russell family wish to thank

Brian & Pauline Cloke of Castlegar, BC

whose friendship added to the happiness of Frank’s last years

and their neighbors Alex & Nancy Pereverzoff

and all those who attended the service.

Also Mabel Dean of Victoria, BC

who was a good friend of Leonard Russell and Frank and Mary.



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