Russel C. Jones

Russel C. Jones, (age 96), of Owensboro, died July 16, 2017, at the Carmel Home.

He was born June 17, 1921, in Berea, Kentucky to the late H. Clyde Jones and Elsie Williams Jones. He was predeceased in death by his first wife, Caroline Newell Phethean, his brother Robert (and Sedahlia) Jones, and Lou Alvey Jones, his wife of 42 years.

Russel graduated from the University of Kentucky, receiving a B. S. Degree in Commerce and a J. D. in Law. He played saxophone in the U K Marching Band and was a member of Kappa Sigma and Phi Alpha Delta fraternities. He was on the Board of Editors of the Kentucky Law Journal.

He served his country during WW II in both the European and Pacific Theaters, as a member of the US Army and the US Air Force. He was a captain in the JAG Corps, in the US Army Reserve. He has been a member of the American Legion since 1948.

In 1950, after serving as Supervisor in the Kentucky Revenue Cabinet, Russel began his private practice career in Owensboro KY, where he practiced law for 55 years. At the time of his retirement in 2005 he was Owensboro's oldest practicing attorney (84). He was a lifelong member of the Owensboro Daviess County Bar Association, the Kentucky Bar Association and the American Bar Association. He was included in the Who's Who In American Law in 1993. He was also a recipient of the Liberty Bell Award, an award given each year by the Daviess County Bar Association to recognize community leadership.

He is a past member of the First Presbyterian Church, fulfilling the various positions of elder, deacon, secretary-treasurer.

Russel was one of the 4 founding fathers of the RiverPark Center which presented him with the Arts Achievement Award in August 2013. He helped organize the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra and was president for 6 yrs. He was a lifelong board member of both organizations.

He was one of the principal organizers of the Owensboro Estate Planning Council. He organized the Kentucky Wesleyan College All American Club and served on its board for many years. He served 3 terms as Director of the Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.

In addition to law and UK basketball, Russel's passion was music and the arts. He played the piano, pipe organ, chimes, clarinet, saxophone and violin. He was an amateur photographer.


He is survived by his three children Newell (Amy) Jones, Steele (Marcey) Jones, and Sarah Dailey (Tony Sweet), and his grandchildren (in same order as their parents) Avram Jones, Kristin Jones, and Rebecca (John) Wren; Drew Jones and Matthew (Kate) Jones; Nathan (Ashley) Dailey, Zachary Dailey, and Anna Dailey. He is survived by his three step children Trent Alvey, Billie Campbell, and Greg (Patty) Alvey, and his step grandchildren by Greg of Laura (John) Hagen, Emily (Matt) Hesse, and Neal Alvey. Additionally, he is survived by a total of 14 great and great-great grandchildren.

The funeral service, officiated by the Rev. Christine Coy-Fohr, will be 2:00 p.m. Thursday, July 20, 2017 at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory in Owensboro KY, where visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. Thursday. Burial, with full military honors, will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the RiverPark Center or the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra.