Russell "Russ" D St John

Russell Dewayne St John,94, died on May 5th 2020 in his home in Hermiston Oregon with his family at his side.

Russell was born on September 5th 1925 in Nachez Washington to Bert and Viola St John
He was the only Son in a family of 10 having 7 sisters,2 of which who passed young,
Ladema age 2, and Marjorie, age 15.
Sisters are Erna, Dora (Doty), Vera, Emogene (Emmy) and Ruth.
The family relocated to Cave Junction Oregon where his Father was employed as
a millwright at a local sawmill. As a youngster Russell would fish, hunt, and run trap lines
for hides to provide food and income for the family.

He attended school in Cave Junction in a one room, one class schoolhouse.
There where children of all ages, grades 1st thru 8th were in one big classroom. He graduated from the 8th grade in a class of 2.

As Russell became older, he worked as a logger all around Josephine County
and Northern California. The family again pulled up roots and went to Lakeview, Oregon where he continued to work in the woods

Against his Mother's wishes, Russell enlisted in the U.S. Navy during WWII. He served as a 
Machinist Mate on the USS Admiral W.M. Sims, a troop transport ship ferrying men all across
the Pacific Theater, including the Philippines, Okinawa, and Guam. He was then stationed in
the Bering Sea on the Aleutian Islands Adak Island, Alaska.
After the war ended, Russell came to Emmitt Idaho to his folks little farm. He returned to the 
coast of Northern California to work as a logger in the Redwood sawmills near
Crescent City California.

Russell met his future wife Dora Deette Mickey at a dance in Cave Junction, and they were married on September 26th 1950. While on an elk hunting trip to Eastern Oregon, his sister Erna set him up to interview for a job with the City of Hermiston. He was hired on with the Irrigation Department.
Russell advanced through the ranks for 33 years before his retirement, ending with being the Superintendent of the Street Department.

Together they raised 3 children, daughter Linda Deette, daughter Alynn Deann, and son Allen Dewayne. They have 5 Grandchildren, Sandra Schilling, Adrain Filippi, Clifford St John, Ambra St John and Russell St John, and 4 Great grandchildren, Carson Schillng, Joseph Filippi, Marlow St John, and Maeven St John. 

He was a master gardener who enjoyed trying new seeds ordered by mail. Russell hand built custom fishing rods, carefully choosing colorful threads to wrap the guides. It truly was an art and his children ate many dinners from TV trays so he could take over the dining table with his equipment. He was known as a wizard at all things concrete, assisting many with projects like pouring walks and such.

It was rumored that Russell may have been a "sturgeon whisperer". Many barely legal fish were caught and feasted upon, and stories of the occasional "one that got away" being too big to keep anyway. He loved all fishing, hunting, camping with family, woodcutting, and exploring the backwoods with his wife of nearly 70 years.

There will be a Celebration of Life on Saturday September 10th from 1:00pm-3:00pm at the Maxwell Siding Event Center  Hermiston. Family and friends of Russell, please come and share a memory. 

Please share memories of Russell with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com

Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, Oregon is in care of arrangements.

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