Born in Independence, Missouri January 14, 1971, Russell was raised in Sedalia, Missouri. Following graduation from Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, Rusty attended Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing degree from CMSU in 1995. He has worked toward a Master of Divinity Degree from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri. He has served as a United Methodist Pastor and married Butte, Montana native Carla Nellien Lane on April 20, 2002 at the First United Methodist Church in Sedalia, Missouri. One of the most enjoyable hobbies is geneology and local history. He has visited and enjoyed many cemeteries around Missouri and Montana.

DEAR ANCESTOR,

YOUR GRAVESTONE STANDS AMONG THE REST,
FORGOTTEN AND FORLORN.
YOUR NAME AND DATE ARE CHISELED OUT,
ON SLATE OR OLD LIMESTONE,
IT REACHES OUT TO ALL WHO CARE,
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO MOURN.
YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT I EXIST,
YOU DIED AND I WAS BORN.
YET, EACH OF US ARE CELLS OF YOU,
OF FLESH AND BLOOD AND BONE
OUR HEART CONTRACTS AND BEATS A PULSE,
ENTIRELY NOT OUR OWN.
DEAR ANCESTOR, THE PLACE YOU FILLED,
SO MANY YEARS AGO,
SPREAD OUT AMONG THE ONES YOU LEFT,
WHO WOULD HAVE LOVED YOU SO.
I KNOW THAT YOU LIVED AND LOVED,
BUT, I WONDER IF YOU KNEW,
SOMEDAY I WOULD FIND THIS SPOT,
AND COME TO VISIT YOU.

Born in Independence, Missouri January 14, 1971, Russell was raised in Sedalia, Missouri. Following graduation from Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, Rusty attended Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri. He received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in Marketing degree from CMSU in 1995. He has worked toward a Master of Divinity Degree from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri. He has served as a United Methodist Pastor and married Butte, Montana native Carla Nellien Lane on April 20, 2002 at the First United Methodist Church in Sedalia, Missouri. One of the most enjoyable hobbies is geneology and local history. He has visited and enjoyed many cemeteries around Missouri and Montana.

DEAR ANCESTOR,

YOUR GRAVESTONE STANDS AMONG THE REST,
FORGOTTEN AND FORLORN.
YOUR NAME AND DATE ARE CHISELED OUT,
ON SLATE OR OLD LIMESTONE,
IT REACHES OUT TO ALL WHO CARE,
IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO MOURN.
YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT I EXIST,
YOU DIED AND I WAS BORN.
YET, EACH OF US ARE CELLS OF YOU,
OF FLESH AND BLOOD AND BONE
OUR HEART CONTRACTS AND BEATS A PULSE,
ENTIRELY NOT OUR OWN.
DEAR ANCESTOR, THE PLACE YOU FILLED,
SO MANY YEARS AGO,
SPREAD OUT AMONG THE ONES YOU LEFT,
WHO WOULD HAVE LOVED YOU SO.
I KNOW THAT YOU LIVED AND LOVED,
BUT, I WONDER IF YOU KNEW,
SOMEDAY I WOULD FIND THIS SPOT,
AND COME TO VISIT YOU.