James Herbert Russell

With hearts that grieve, yet with the peace that comes from the promises of Christ, we announce the passing of James Herbert Russell, who entered into the presence of his Lord and Savior on July 11, 2026, at the age of 76.

Jim was born October 10, 1949, in Mt. Clemens, MI. He was the younger child of the late Herbert and Irma Russell. He trusted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior as a young boy and became a member at Gratiot Avenue Baptist Church. From an early age, he desired to be in full-time vocational ministry after reading Romans 10:13-14:

…for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher? How will they preach unless they are sent?”

Jim attended Osborn High School in Detroit and graduated in 1967 and then enrolled at Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, majoring in Bible. Following college, he attended Grand Rapids Baptist Theological Seminary where he met Christine Parkin, a student at Grand Rapids Baptist Bible College, and they were married in 1973.

While in seminary he served as the youth pastor at Berean Baptist Church in Grand Rapids and graduated from Grand Rapids Baptist Theological Seminary in 1974 with a Master of Divinity degree. Jim ministered as the pastor of three different churches: Calvary Baptist Church in Evart, MI, Maranatha Baptist Church in Canton, MI, and Calvary Baptist Church in Charlotte, MI. In 1985, he moved his young family to Allen Park, MI, and Inter-City Baptist Church, and then began working for his alma mater, Bob Jones University, in student recruitment in the Great Lakes region. In 1998, he and his family moved to Greenville, SC, where he took an on-campus job in student recruitment at BJU. In 2012, Jim and Chris moved back to Taylor, MI, where Jim worked primarily as a substitute teacher until his health necessitated his retirement.

Beginning in his late forties, Jim suffered from heart issues and other medical conditions, reaching their peak in atypical Parkinson’s disease. For the last decade or so of his life, he required nearly round-the-clock care provided by his faithful and loving wife, who did so patiently and without complaint.

He and Chris taught the importance of the truth in Romans 10 that sparked his desire for vocational ministry—salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone—and the centrality of the local church to all four of their children. Following his years as a pastor, he was a member of Inter-City Baptist Church from 1985-1998 and from 2013-2026, and Community Baptist Church in Greer, SC, from 1999-2013.

Jim is survived by his wife of 53 years (Chris), his children Meredith (Dan) Winnberg, Ben (Wendy), Bethany (Nathan) Williams, and Cara (Jonathan) Grubb; his grandchildren, Dylan, Megan, and Mackenzie Winnberg, Cade Russell, Katelynn, Cole, Stella, and Grey Williams, and Ava, Macy, Josiah, and Jaxon Grubb; sister, Dr. Janet K. McKenney, nephew Andrew (Jennifer) McKenney; sister-in-law Jan (Keith) Schaap, nieces Stephanie (Joshua) Bauman and Lindsey (Travis) Spaman; sister-in-law Donna (Ed) Flansburg, nephews Lee and Drew Flansburg; and brother-in-law, Dan Parkin. He was preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Irma Russell.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations in Jim’s memory to the IFOPA, an international organization dedicated to finding a cure for Fibrodysplasia Ossificans Progressiva and assisting patients who have the disease and their families. FOP is an ultra-rare genetic disease that Jim’s grandson Cade was born with. Donations may be made at ifopa.org/donate or by mailing donations to IFOPA, PO Box 800084, Kansas City, MO 64180.

Family and friends are invited to gather on Friday, July 17, 2026 at Inter-City Baptist Church in Allen Park. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the funeral service begins at 12:00 p.m. Jim will be laid to rest in a private burial at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Brownstown Twp.