Wesley James Russell was born on March 10, 1927 in Altus, Jackson County, Oklahoma. Jim, as he is known by his family, was born at home in an old house on South Grady Street in Altus, and lived at many residences in Altus throughout his childhood. He attended Eugene Fields Elementary School, Altus Junior High School, and Altus Senior High School. In his teens he worked as a projectionist at the old Ritz, Delta, and Plaza theaters in Altus. In 1945, at age 17, Jim enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was sent to the U.S. Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois, near Chicago for basic training. After basic training he was shipped out to the Philippine Islands where he served at the U.S. Naval Station, Guiuan, Samar and on the auxiliary rescue tug, USS ATR-25 in Manila Bay. Soon after he transferred to the headquarters ship, USS San Clemente AG-79. The USS San Clemente was the flagship of Service Squadron Seven. On January 3, 1946 the San Clemente got underway from Manila bound for the eastern coast of China. In mid-January the San Clemente arrived in Shanghai, China and tied up at the mouth of the Wangpoo River. After a brief tour on the San Clemente Jim transferred to the auxiliary barracks craft, USS APL-10 in Shanghai. In June of 1946, having accumulated enough points for separation from the Navy, he boarded a troop transport and returned to San Francisco for discharge. Jim was honorably discharged from the Navy in July 1946 as a Seaman First Class.

Jim returned to Altus after his discharge and worked again as a projectionist at the local theaters and for a while with the Littlefield Construction Company at Altus Air Force Base demolishing stricken World War II aircraft. Shortly thereafter Jim headed west to California finally ending up in Richland, Washington where he worked as an iron worker at the Hanford Atomic Energy Plant. He later went to Grand Coulee, Washington where he worked on the construction of the Grand Coulee Dam on the Columbia River in 1948. In 1949 he returned to Richland, Washington where he resumed work at the Hanford Atomic Energy Plant.

In 1950 Jim married Ethel Pat Swager in Couer d'elene, Idaho. His son Wesley James Russell, Jr. was born 1951. He relocated once again in 1955 to Derby, Colorado, north of Denver where he was involved in many different construction projects in and around the Denver area, including the construction of several missile silos in Colorado and several mines around Dillon and Climax, Colorado. Jim retired from full time work in 1984 as a member of the Iron Workers Union.

After the death of his wife, Pat, in 1984 he moved to Fort Morgan, Colorado. Jim is a member of the American Legion, The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, and is a Past Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Fort Morgan, Colorado. In March of 2001 he moved with his longtime companion, Mary Kress, to Yuma, Colorado where he resided until his passing September 30, 2013. Mary Kress was born December 28, 1922 at Bayard, Nebraska. Her parents came from Russia through Ellis Island, New York. They went to Wisconsin, then west to Nebraska, where Mary was born, and then to Rocky Ford, Colorado, and finally to Fort Morgan, Colorado where Mary grew up.

Mary's family became a very important part of Jim's life and he chose to stay on in Yuma, Colorado after Mary passed on. This "adopted" family totaled 16, with children and grandchildren that Jim loved and they loved him. With guidance from his step-daughter Bonnie Frihauf, a quilter, Jim learned to use a sewing machine to fill his lonely days! In 6 years he pieced a total of 33 quilt tops, mostly from Bonnie's scraps. These quilts then became graduation gifts, Christmas gifts, and just because gifts. Jim felt lucky to have opportunity for this hobby, that kept his mind and body busy. Jim was proof at 78 years old that "you are never too old to learn!" Bonnie quilted a quilt top that Jim's sister Betty had made, and he enjoyed that quilt on his bed feeling his sister had her arms around him.

Jim is survived by his sister Betty and family of Vernon, Texas, sister Kay and family of Sacramento, Califonia, brother Carl and family of Kingsville, Texas, brother John and family of California, son Wesley Russell, Jr. of Denver, Colorado, grandson Justin Russell, step-daughter Patsy Finley of Arnold, Missouri, and Mary Kress's Family, Fred and Bonnie Frihauf, Bryan, Julie, Alex, and Abigail Frihauf, David, Karla, Jeremy, Meghann, Jace, Jenner, and Brittnee Blach of Yuma, Colorado, Clint, Lisa, Erica, Aaron, Nate and Kidus Merrill of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Sierra and Bailey Saxton, Ethan Reigel of Laramie, Wyoming, Kenny Jackson, Robin, Dylan, and Matthew Cowell of Thornton, Colorado, Mike and Roberta Langan, Gary, Kim, Taylor, Ashtyn, and Tanner Podraza of Columbus, Nebraska, Kirk, Kris, Kody, Kaytlyn, Noah, Zak, and Aaron Johnson of Platte Center, Nebraska, Ed and Annette Kress of Apache Junction, Arizona, Rick, Elizabeth, EJ, Carson, and Mercy Kress of Spring, Texas, along with numerous other relatives and friends.

Viewing was held on Thursday, October 3 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m., at the Baucke Funeral Chapel in Yuma followed by a Graveside Service at the Yuma Cemetery. Memorials are preferred. Baucke Funeral Home of Yuma was in charge of the arrangements.