Russell Loyd Bucklin

Russell Loyd Bucklin, 91, of rural Baxter, died Sunday, June 18, 2017, at his home. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Friday, June 23 at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 10 a.m. until the time of service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be left in the family’s name.

Russell, the son of George Edward Bucklin and Lu Retha Gearhart, was born July 30, 1925, in Baxter. He grew up in the Ira area and attended Mingo schools. Russell tried to join the service when he was 16, to fight beside his brother, Thomas, who was already in the Navy. But the recruiting office realized he was too young and contacted his Mom to pick him up, so he joined the Navy at 18, and served as a pharmacist mate in England, Scotland, Germany and Holland.

Russell met and married Jane “Jean” Bowers in Glasgow, Scotland in 1945. Jean was soon sent to the United States as she was a civilian, married to a soldier and lived with his parents for a year. Russell returned from Germany in 1946, to become a farmer, a factory worker, an employee for Milligan Services, driving a tanker truck and worked for Al Nuzum Supply Co., retiring from ADM Feeds in the late 90s, where he had worked as an electrician.

Russell is survived by his two brothers, Vernon (Phyllis) Bucklin and Gerald (Donna) Bucklin; daughters, Shirley (Bruce) Nuzum, Linda (Charles) Oliver, Barbara Clarahan and Vickie Lane; 11 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren. Russell was preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Edward and Thomas Bucklin; and his infant brother, Herbert.

He was also preceded in death by his wife, Jean in 2012; son-in-law, Douglas Clarahan; and his granddaughter, Heather Nuzum.

He touched a lot of lives in his almost 92 years and will be missed greatly by his family and friends.