Russel was born November 3, 1921 at Keith, WV, the was the son of the late Lon Willis and Blanche Henrietta King Withrow. He retired from the Signs and Lines Department of the New Jersey State Highway Department in 1984. He was on the Board of Directors of the Raleigh County Commission on Aging, a member of the Silver Hair Legislature and was Loyal Order of the Moose Pilgrim.