Reba Lynn RUSSELL

Reba Lynn
October 9, 1930 - July 16, 2022

Oscar Garland
National Guard
June 13, 1929 - November 4, 2019

*Obituary

Oscar Garland Russell, Jr., age 90, of Sherwood, AR, died Nov. 4, 2019. He was born on June 13, 1929 in Ellsworth, AR to Oscar G. Russell, Sr. and Florence Thomas Russell.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his step-father, J. D. Hardcastle; his sister, Lois Earline Russell; his half-brother John Paul Hardcastle and his step-brother DeWitt C. Russell.

He is survived by his wife, Reba Lynn Russell; his children, David Owen Russell (Debbie) and Catherine Hall (Stanley); his brother, Donald E. Russell; his grandsons, Jared David Russell (Leslie), Jordan Michael Russell (Tessa), Alexander Ray Hall; and five great grandchildren.

His mother married Rev. J.D. Hardcastle in 1939 and the couple became pastors of the Full Gospel Temple church on Washington Ave. in North Little Rock. Going forward, service to God was one of the most important aspects of Oscar's life. He played the guitar and sang at church and in the Temple Quartet that was featured in a weekly radio broadcast for many years.

A 1947 graduate of North Little Rock High School, he was married In 1949 to Reba Lynn Faulk, whom he met at church, and the couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary earlier this year.

He became a Claims Representative with the Social Security Administration (SSA) in the Little Rock office. He was reassigned to Pine Bluff for two years, promoted to Field Representative and transferred to Helena, AR for four years. At the time of his retirement from federal service in February 1985, he was the assistant district manager of the SSA office in Forrest City, AR.

On another level, he published a national newsletter for the SSA District Management Association for 10 years, a venture he started with his son. For four years, he was a partner in a full-service drug store in Forrest City where he was president of the Lions Club and active in many civic organizations.

After his retirement from SSA, he became Executive Director with the National Guard Association of Arkansas (NGAA). He earned his certification as a professional association executive and later he completed the educational requirements to become a licensed insurance agent. Two of his most significant accomplishments at NGAA were the creation of a scholarship program established in 1987 and the completion of a modern office facility at Camp Robinson in 1989.

Oscar often had two or even three income sources because he liked to turn his hobbies into businesses. In 1990 he became very involved in genealogy and eventually published some 30 books of information about death notices in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. These volumes were marketed to libraries and genealogical collections across the country.

In 1948 he enlisted in the Arkansas Army National Guard as a private in Ambulance Company, 125th Medical Battalion. Four years later he was a Sergeant First Class and was promoted in 1952 to Second Lieutenant. He served during the Central High integration crisis along with other members of the Arkansas Guard. He was assigned to numerous staff and command positions over the years and rose to the rank of full Colonel. He graduated from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. His career in the Guard concluded as Commander, 87th Troop Command headquartered at Camp Robinson comprised of 17 units with 3,500 soldiers. His retirement was effective in June 1985 after 37 years.

Oscar had many hobbies ranging from leather-work to hand-carved gun stocks. He fished and hunted for about 15 years before his leisure time was soaked up by other activities. He learned to knit and crochet, earning blue ribbons at the St. Francis County fair. For years he maintained a well-equipped woodworking shop, making a variety of items for friends and family.

A long-time member of First Assembly of God North Little Rock, Oscar began producing the weekly bulletin for the Challenger Sunday School class in September of 2003 and continued faithfully in this role until last year. About the same time he became involved in visitation outreach to those in area hospitals and later transitioned to visiting the shut-ins who were unable to come to church. This too he continued until just last year.

Arrangements are under the direction of Roller-Owens Funeral Home. A visitation will be held at Roller-Owens on Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2019 from 5-7 p.m. A funeral service will be held Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019 at 10 a.m. at First Assembly of God church in North Little Rock, AR. Burial will follow at Bethlehem Cemetery, at 2 p.m. in Shady Grove, AR.


*Obituary

Reba Lynn Faulk Russell, age 91, of Sherwood, AR died Saturday, July 16, 2022. She was born on October 9, 1930 in Faulkner County, AR to Ira W. and Lena May Faulk. She was preceded in death by her husband, Oscar G. Russell, Jr.; her parents and her older sister, Faye Dene Faulk Moore. She is survived by her children, David Owen Russell (Debbie) and Catherine Russell Hall (Stanley); her brother, James Dwight Faulk; her grandsons, Jared David Russell, Jordan Michael Russell and Alexander Ray Hall and five great grandchildren.

Her family moved to Dyess, AR in 1938, where they owned and operated a small farm and then they moved to North Little Rock, AR in February, 1948 during her last semester of high school. Although she attended those last few months at NLRHS, her grades were transferred back to Dyess for her graduation. She worked for TIMEX Corporation after graduation for two years. During that time, she met and married Oscar Russell in June 1949.

Throughout her teen years and early adulthood, she enjoyed singing in school and church and she had a beautiful soprano voice. She married into a very talented family that also enjoyed singing and Oscar's parents pastored a church. Reba, Oscar and his mother, sang as a trio and were frequently invited to many churches and special meetings all over Arkansas and southern Missouri. She remained active in church throughout her life as a soloist, worship leader, teacher of various age groups and youth counselor on both local and state levels. Reba led the prayer team at First Assembly of God in North Little Rock until 2019.

Oscar was transferred on his job to Pine Bluff, AR in late 1959. After two years, they moved again for his job, to Helena, AR, where they lived four years. In 1965, they moved again, this time to Forrest City, AR and remained there for almost 20 years.

Besides the usual activities of a homemaker, she was active as Cub Scout Den Mother, Little League baseball watcher, church camp counselor, etc. She accepted an invitation to join Beta Sigma Phi, a women's sorority, and served as Secretary/Treasurer, 1st vice president and president. She was chosen as "Girl of the Year" in 1969. She was also active in the Cosmos Club, a literary organization. Reba was selected by the Forrest City Jaycees as "Outstanding Woman of the Year" in 1972. However, her real area of interest lay with the Forrest Memorial Hospital Ladies Auxiliary, which she served as president from 1970-74. She was so inspired by this organization that she decided to return to school to become a Registered Nurse.

Between the time their son graduated from college and their daughter finished high school, she commuted 80 miles round-trip, to Phillips County Community College in Helena, several days each week. She obtained an associate's degree in Nursing in June 1976. After passing her board certification, she worked at the St. Francis County Hospital as a charge nurse. In October 1976, she was hired by the St. Francis County Health Department as a Public Health Nurse. About a year later, she was promoted to Department Administrator and continued in this position for over eight years until they moved back to central Arkansas in 1985 because of Oscar's work. She transferred to the Pulaski County Health Department, where she worked for a few months before becoming a pediatric nurse with the Children's Medical Services Division of the Department of Human Services. She retired in 1987 so she could travel with Oscar, who had become Executive Director of the Arkansas National Guard Association in 1985.

After he retired, they continued to live at their home in Sherwood, AR until Oscar passed away in 2019, at the age of 90. They were able to celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary several months before his passing. She moved to Roanoke, TX early in 2021 to be near her son, David who assumed responsibility for her care until her death.

Her pallbearers will be her grandsons, Rev. Jared Russell, Rev. Jordan Russell and Rev. Alex Hall and her nephews, Doyle Moore, Glenn Russell and Greg Russell.
Arrangements are under the direction of Roller-Owens Funeral Home. A visitation will be held at Roller-Owens on Friday, July 22, 2022, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. A funeral service will be held Saturday, July 23, 2022, at 11 a.m. at the First Assembly of God chapel at 4501 Burrow Dr., North Little Rock, AR., with Senior Pastor Rev. Rod Loy presiding. Burial will follow at the Bethlehem Cemetery at 2 p.m. in Shady Grove, AR. with a graveside service presided over by her son-in-law, Rev. Stanley Hall.

Contributed on 2/21/23 by hawkinsdonna48
Email This Contributor

Suggest a Correction

Record #: 1472224

Don't Follow