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by Pastor Jeff

Russ was born on April 20, 1921 in Paterson, New Jersey.  He was the second of three sons born to Hilda and Henry, hard-working first generation emigrants from Holland and Denmark.   At age three Russ was hit by a car; fortunately he sustained only a mild knee injury, but the event inspired his parents to move out of the congestion of Paterson to live in nearby Hawthorne.  

At ten, Russ first learned how to swim when his five-year-old brother Ferdy fell into a pool, leading his mother to push him in as well in order to save his little brother, which he did.  It was a close knit family.  Living through the depression, Russ did what he could to help support the family, delivering newspapers and shoveling snow to earn money to buy coal to keep the family warm in winter.

He loved to ice skate and play hockey.  His real passion, however was music.   He took up the guitar, teaching himself how to play.   At age twelve his parents figured it was time for Russ to begin formal guitar lessons, but his first lesson promptly became his last when Russ found himself correcting the way his teacher played a song.  With his enormous natural musical talent, Russ had already taught himself more than the teacher knew. 

On a trip with his parents to Atlantic City, Russ first heard a Hawaiian band playing, falling in love with their style of music, and developing a life long romance with the pedal steel guitar.

In high school Russ played in the school orchestra and chorus.   With his imposing physical stature and his natural athletic ability, the football coach tried to recruit Russ for his team.  But when Russ witnessed a teammate get hurt – his arm mangled – Russ walked away from football.  He needed his hands to play music, and wasn’t about to to risk losing the ability to play music by a football injury.

Russ always loved to be out doors and go on adventures.  At age fourteen he bicycled all the way from Hawthorne to Flemington.  In his parents’ basement Russ built a kayak which he used to explore the Passaic River. 

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