Russell Marks

Russell Wayne Marks

Dec. 14, 1930 - Dec. 21, 2020

TRENTON, Neb. — Russell Wayne Marks, 90, went peacefully into the presence of the Lord on Dec. 21, 2020, at the Wauneta Care and Therapy Center in Wauneta surrounded by family. After battling chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Multiple Myeloma and skin cancers, surviving a heart attack, the effects of a significant stroke, and recently, the loss of his wife, Lavena, of 66 years, God felt he had endured enough and called him Home.

Russell was the third child born Dec. 14, 1930, to Floyd Royden and Flora Lucille (Osborn) Marks, south of Culbertson in a partly sod home in Tipton Canyon south of Culbertson. He grew up in various places south of the Driftwood Creek, with the final house being a two-story house moved in on a trailer with a road grader. His Granddad, ‘Bud’ Edwards, taught him to play the fiddle but as Dad said, “it did not take.”

After leaving high school in Trenton, he worked for the State of Nebraska and ran the film projector at the Roxy Theater in Trenton before serving as United States Marine Corps Sergeant, from Nov. 28, 1951 to Nov. 28, 1954.

His boot camp and stateside service were at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He told of being baptized before going overseas where he was stationed near the coast of what is now called the DMZ in Korea. At one time he got R & R and flew to Japan. The plane had a crash landing upon return to Korea. During his service he was injured twice and carried shrapnel in his back and shoulder for most of his adult life. He liked to tell when he met in person, Dwight Eisenhower, John Wayne, and Marilyn Monroe. Russell received his Honorable Discharge and was a lifetime member of the VFW. He came home on leave to marry Lavena Stock, Sept. 19, 1954. They spent the last six weeks of his service living in Oceanside, Calif.

After returning from Oceanside, Russ worked for area farmers and ranchers; Millersville Feedlot for six years then Brown’s for three years, milking cows and farming. It was during this time Russ and Lavena were blessed with their three children, daughter, Zita Lucille and sons, Billy Roy and Dennis Ray. Later, Russ also worked for Alex Campbell, the Bureau of Reclamation, and “Tudy” Frank for four years before moving into Trenton in 1963. He remodeled their newly purchased home, supporting his children in all of their endeavors, continued wheat farming for his father-in-law, William Stock and began his 55-year career in Marks Carpentry. He did construction, remodeling, shingling, plumbing, wiring, and HVAC work. He could repair most anything mechanical and according to his kids, ‘Dad could fix anything.’ Russ worked on countless houses and businesses in Hitchcock, Red Willow and Dundy counties, including the homes of his grown children.

He was very proud of all his children and grandsons and enjoyed spoiling his two grandsons, being a devoted and proud Grandad and babysitter. He belonged to the Church of God in Trenton, was a member of the Pioneer Campers Club and enjoyed attending gun shows, automobile museums, watching birds and later, putting jigsaw puzzles together. Rarely an idle moment.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Lavena; infant brother, Dale; sister, Dixie Stock; brothers, Arthur Marks and Alton Marks; brothers-in-law, Arthur Stock, Don Fahrenbruch; and nephew, Russell Daugherty.

Russell is survived by his children, daughter, Zita and husband, John Rundel of Trenton; sons, Billy Marks of Trenton and Dennis Marks of Miami, Fla.; grandsons, James Rundel of Boulder, Colo., and Schyler (Autumn) Marks of Trenton; two great-grandchildren, Jaxxon and Thea Jae Marks; also, sister, Doris and husband, Don Daugherty of Trenton; brother, Willard and wife, Janette Marks of McCook; sisters-in-law, Alta Fahrenbruch of Norton, Kan., and Alice Marks of Culbertson; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be 2 p.m. (CT), Tuesday, Dec. 29, 2020, at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel in McCook with Dave Davidson officiating. Interment will follow in the Grove Cemetery south of Culbertson with full Military Honors.

Visitation will be prior to services, Tuesday morning at Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the family of Russell Marks for future designation. Online condolences may be left at herrmannfh.com. 

Herrmann-Jones Funeral Chapel is entrusted with arrangements.