A Funeral Mass celebrating the life of John "Jack" Francis Russell, 85, of Heath, will be held at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 11:30 A.M. Friday, April 26, 2019, with Fr. David Sizemore as celebrant. Interment will follow in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery with military honors provided by the Licking County Veterans Alliance.

Jack, a United States Army Veteran, died at Select Specialty Hospital of Newark on Monday, April 22, 2019. He was born in Dayton, Ohio on April 2, 1934 to the late John L. and Florence E. (Wellmeier) Russell.

Jack was retired from the Newark Air Force Base where he worked in computer operations. As a longtime devoted parishioner of St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, he served as a Lector and was a former member of the Liturgy Committee and Parish Council. He was also a lifetime member of the Newark Maennerchor where he volunteered in multiple capacities over the years.

He will be greatly missed by his wife of almost 57 years, Patricia (Sepela) Russell; his son, John (Andrea) Russell; grandchildren, Emily, Adam, and Sarah; brothers, Richard (Judith) Russell, Thomas (Nancy) Russell; sister, Mary Agnes Russell (Bill Cloud); brother-in-law, Mike (Janet) Sepela; and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, Jack was preceded in death by his step-mother, Marian (Bringman) Russell.

Friends and family may call at REED-EGAN FUNERAL HOME, 141 Green Wave Drive, Newark, 4-7 P.M., Thursday, April 25, 2019 where a Vigil Service will be held at 6:30 P.M. Thursday.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Jack's name can be made to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, 611 Granite Springs, Yorktown, NY 10598; or St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church, 40 Granville Street, Newark, OH 43055.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Marsha Colburn for the dedicated care and compassion she showed Jack over these last two years.

To share a memory of Jack or leave a condolence for the family please visit www.reedegan.com.