John E. Russell, 88, Hamilton, Missouri, passed away on April 14, 2014, at the Missouri Veteran's Home, Cameron, Mo.  He had lived in Hamilton since 1960, and previously had lived in Skidmore and Maitland, Mo.

John was born on July 25, 1925, in Hopkins, Mo., to Galen B. and Iva Mae Billings Russell.  He had served our country during WWII as a US Marine.  He earned his B.S. in Education from Northwest College in Maryville, and then went on to earn his Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Greeley, Colorado.  He had been the principal/basketball coach at Maitland from 1950-1952, the principal at Stanberry in 1953, superintendent/basketball coach at Skidmore from 1954-1959, the Hamilton superintendent from 1960-1965, and then the State Supervisor of Schools for Northwest Missouri from 1965-1990.

John had been a member of the Hamilton United Methodist Church, the Caldwell County Retired Teacher's Association, MSTA, the Hamilton Lion's Club, and the Hamilton American Legion Post #285.

John was preceded in death by his parents and eleven brothers and sisters.

On March 14, 1948, he married Ruth Ann Williams in Vallejo, California.  She survives of the home.

Additional survivors:  Son, Mike (Mary) Russell, Lawson; Daughter, Terri (Mike) Lee, Blue Springs; 4 grandchildren-Abbey (Richard) Hussey, Lawson; Kogan (Lauren) Lee, Raymore; Tony (Danielle) Russell, Lawson; and Kolby (Angie) Lee, Blue Springs; 4 great-grandchildren-Jadon and Addy Hussey and Gwen and Hudson Lee; Sister-Zattie (Murrin) Lewis, Hopkins; Brother-in-law, George Neumeyer, Hopkins; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral Service:  2 p.m., Thursday, April 17, at the Bram Funeral Home, Hamilton.

Visitation:  noon to service time at the funeral home on Thursday.

Interment:  Highland Cemetery, Hamilton.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the John Russell Educational Scholarship Fund at Penney High School, Hamilton.

Friends may call after 9 a.m. on Wednesday.