A quiet man and blessed with uncommon assuredness, Alvin Russell was content with a tool in his hand, a cigar in his mouth and memories of his plane soaring through the wild, blue yonder.

Born on July 19, 1931 in Taft, Oklahoma, Alvin was the son of Wendell Ralph Russell and Bernyce Sams Russell. He attended Moton High School, but by the time he was 14, he knew exactly what he wanted to be…..a pilot. In 1952, Alvin married his high school sweetheart and love of his life, Lily Jean Dinwiddie. Their love story was paramount only to his romance with aviation.

Dreaming of flying planes was a logical outcome of the many hours he spent with his uncle, Nathan Sams. Sams, who died in 2001 and is enshrined in the Oklahoma Aviation and Space Hall of Fame, took Alvin under his wings, so to speak, giving him his first flying lessons. The same intricate lessons Sams taught the Tuskegee Airmen, he imparted in Alvin during their days at Hatbox Field in Muskogee.

After being drafted into the United States Army, subsequently losing the sight in one eye due to injury sustained during an explosion, in spite of the loss, Alvin took to the skies like a hawk, flying twin-engine Cessnas all across the nation, sometimes braving turbulent, inclement conditions. It was back in 1964 or '65 when Alvin flew through a storm from Hatbox Field to Canton, Ohio, to get his daughters, his wife Lily recalled, "I was never so frightened in life and I have never flown in one of those small planes since."

Navigating through a storm was not enough to stifle Alvin's flights. But the budding interest in plane radios or avionics was hard to resist and soon Alvin began pioneering the skill of building plane radios.

After a while, Alvin expanded his love of airplanes to selling them. Among his customers was Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart. During this time at Hatbox Field, he met prominent personalities as soul master, James Bronw and Evangelist Oral Roberts, founder of Oral Roberts University.

Sharing flight stories and adventures with other pilots at Hatbox never distracted him from his family nor his four children; Aljenae, Karen, Ralph and Brian.

Always a man with boundless curiousity, Alvin, for many years, was engaged in the architectural metal industry, where he drew and designed plans for Churches in the surrounding areas of Muskogee.

Just to know all the tools in his shop was indication of his mechanical knowhow and genius at repair and restoration. The work around his shop was perhaps a very satisfying part of his life. Here, he could tinker on his next invention, help a neighbor fix a car or truck and keep his ears alert to the police calls on his radio – that is when it wasn't dispensing his favorite jazz tune.

One of the family's favorite photos is Alvin at the lathe machine, a cigar in his mouth, with him in dep concentration, intent on the challenge of a new problem.

Alvin Lloyd Russell, in his 84th year with us, made his transitioned from labor to refreshment on Monday, March 7, 2016. He leaves in God's care; his loving wife, Lily Jean, of the home in Muskogee; his children, Aljenae Wilson, Karen Green and her husband, Terrance, alph Russell and his wife, Trina and Brian Russell and Patricia; his sister, Merwyn Curl; his uncle, S. D. Russell; his grandchildren, Kenyatta Russell and wife, Nicole, Angelique Ray Cole, Semaj Wilson, Quincy Russell, Leslie Similly Stephenson and husband, Chance, David Similly and wife, Amanda, Rachel Wilson Lotts and husband, Terrence, Sidney Wilson and Briana Russell; 17 great-grandchildren; and a caravan of nephews, nieces, cousins, other relatives and dear friends.

The Final Tributes for Mr. Russell will be shared on Friday, March 11, 2016 at 12 Noon in the Beebe Memorial C.M.E. Church, 700 South 7th Street. Reverend Tommy Asberry, Pastor will officiate.

Burial will follow at 2:00 P.M. in the National cemetery at Fort Gibson, Oklahoma.

You may visit Mr. Russell, as he slumbers in peaceful repose at the funeral home on Thursday from 12 Noon until 7:00 PM. Visitation on Friday will begin at 11:00 AM until service time only, at the Church. The casket will not be opened at the conclusion of the service.