Melvin Horace Russell, Jr.

RALEIGH Melvin Russell, Jr. passed away in the very early hours on Saturday April 9, 2022, after a very shortly diagnosed illness. He was known by his immediate family as Russell and by his birth family as Jr. He was married to his now surviving wife and caregiver, Sally Blackwell Russell of Rolesville, for many years. Of this union, they had one daughter, Deana Jane Russell Purcell (Craig) of Cary, NC, two grandchildren Savannah Jane Purcell of Nashville, Tennessee, and Sarah Jessica (S.J.) Purcell of Cary. They were joined together with his two stepchildren Trudy May Evans ((Morris) and Danny May (Belinda), both of Raleigh. Survived by one sister, Frances Russell Girvin of Garner. Preceded in death by three brothers, Johnny, Jimmy, and Fred, and three sisters, Shirley, Betty, and Violet. Other survivors are the grandchildren, Brandon Evans, Tiffany Evans Avery (Bobby), Jessica May Gibson (Jesse), Amber May Futrell (Mickey), and Chad May. Great-grandchildren are Charlotte Avery, Harper Avery, Ethan Gibson, Owen Gibson, Grayson Gibson, Hannah Futrell, and Macy Futtrell, as well as many nieces and nephews. In his early years he was a devoted member of the Church of God on Lake Wheeler Road. He had many important attributes: hard worker, good provider, great politician, and just a great steward. His favorite hobby was taking the family to all the car lots on the weekends, just riding around and looking. As the end drew near, his best bud was Sally’s pet black Shih-Tsu- David Vickers. He called her Bubba. She loved him and he loved her. She watched over him every minute day and night, licking, kissing, and hugging him all the way.