James Russell Capps

J. Russell Capps, 89, transitioned to his heavenly home on October 6, 2020 after a brief battle with cancer. His firm belief in God and his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ supported him in his struggle and ultimately gives us the Peace of knowing that we will see him again very soon. Russell was born to the late Jasper Daniel (Jack) Capps and Flora Mae Starling Capps, a professional carpenter and a homemaker respectively, in Raleigh, NC on February 26, 1931. He always remembered the wonderful example of a Godly home his parents set for him. He attended Murphy Elementary School and Hugh Morson High School in the Oakwood neighborhood of Raleigh. He graduated from the Radio/Television Institute of Chicago and then from Wake Forest University in 1956 with a degree in Sociology and simultaneously worked a position in radio and later television with WRAL in Raleigh. He subsequently attended Southeastern Baptist Seminary for three years and served as a volunteer pastor at Fuller Mission Church in Raleigh. In the 1960s he attended the Institute of Government in Chapel Hill, NC for a number of studies in local government administration and fire service. In 1968, he served as the first Wake County Planning Director and later as the first director of Wake County Emergency Management and founded the Wake County Emergency Medical Services. Russell was elected to the NC State House of Representatives in 1994 and served 6 terms. For 22 years, he served as President of the Tax Payers Association. He was a member of the Christian Action League of NC for 40 years. He spent eighteen years as a department head in Wake County Government. He was Fire Marshall of Wake County for seventeen years. He was a planner in the NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety. He served as Wake County’s first Planning Director who helped develop and prepare the original Wake County Comprehensive Development Plan. Russell is survived by his wife, Gayle McLaurin Capps; his son Rusty Capps (Nancy), daughter Candace Capps Robinson (Curt); his step-son Anthony Brownd; his grandchildren Jamie, Rachel, Rebecca, Abbie, Jesse, Lydia, John and Joshua Capps and Jaclyn McGhee; and his former wife Shirley Capps Wallace. He is preceded in death by his brothers, Sinclair and Jack Carl Capps; and his parents. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Monday, October 12, 2020 at Christ Baptist Church, 400 Newton Road, Raleigh. Interment will follow at Montlawn Memorial Park. Mr. Capps will lie in repose at Bryan-Lee Funeral Home, 831 Wake Forest Road, Raleigh from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm on Sunday. The family requests that in lieu of flowers contributions be made to the Christian Action League of North Carolina, Inc., 6325 Falls of the Neuse Road, Raleigh, NC 27615. Condolences and memories are gladly accepted at www.bryan-leefuneralhome.com Funeral arrangements are by Bryan-Lee Funeral Home of Raleigh.