Pilot, Air Force veteran Charles Russell Jr. passes away

DOWNEY – Charles A. Russell Jr., was born Sept. 17, 1946 in Springfield, Ill., to Charles Russell Sr. and Anna (Herter) Russell and died Sept. 11 in Downey following a brief battle with bladder cancer. 

He graduated from Bell High in 1964 and served four years in the U.S. Air Force. He was a pilot on the Goodyear Blimp from 1982-2005. 

He kept busy in his retirement as a flight instructor and a Squadron Commander with the Civil Air Patrol. He was also an avid bicycle rider.

He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Connie (Johnson) Russell, in-laws Carla and Mark Solis and Judy and Ralph De La Torre and nephew Joseph De La Torre.

Funeral service will be Thursday, Sept. 17, at 11:30 am at Miller Mies Downey Mortuary. Burial will be at Riverside National Cemetery on Tuesday, Sept. 22, at 10:30 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, family requests donations to Providence TrinityCare Hospice Foundation (trinitycarehospice.org).