Russ was born in Newport, Arkansas, to Barbara and John LeMaster. He spent his childhood in Mountainburg, Arkansas; Bartlett, Tennessee; and Batesville, Mississippi. His sister, Susan LeMaster, remembers Russ taking apart radios, TVs, and other electronic devices to see how they worked. Even though he didn’t always know how to put them back together, he gave it his all.
He graduated from South Panola High School in Batesville, Mississippi, where he enjoyed being a member of the high school band. After graduating, he studied computer science at Tennessee Technical University in Cookeville, Tennessee, and artificial intelligence at the University of Memphis. His career included working as a software developer at Dover Elevator and as a software architect/developer for FedEx Services in Memphis, Tennessee for 20+ years where he received multiple awards.
On June 7, 1997, Russ married Pamela J. Maneval. They lived in Cordova and Bartlett, Tennessee, with their fur babies. He was a member of TriState Woodcrafters and Prop Busters of Memphis. He enjoyed woodworking, building model planes, and oil painting and was extremely interested in all things space and science related. A huge fan of science fiction books, shows and movies, he enjoyed Star Trek, Star Wars, and Stargate. He always wanted to travel to space. His favorite TV shows included The Andy Griffith Show, MASH, Myth Busters, Stargate, Big Bang Theory, and Last Man Standing.
Russ was a loving and supportive husband. Family and friends were important to him and he enjoyed spending time with them. He was a good friend and co-worker as well as a giving person, willing to help those who needed help. He was approachable, intelligent, artistic, loyal, and kind. He is greatly missed by his family and friends but lives on in their hearts and memories.
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, but love leaves a Memory that no one can steal." -- Anonymous
He Only Takes the Best
by Annica Sharma
God saw you getting tired
And a cure was not to be
So he put his arms around you and whispered,
Come to me.
With tearful eyes we watched you,
And saw you pass away.
And although we loved you dearly,
We couldn't make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove us,
He only takes the best.
