James “Russell’’ Broyles, 92, of Lebanon, died Thursday, July 28, 2022, at Lebanon South Nursing and Rehabilitation.
He was born Feb. 20, 1930, near Lebanon, in Laclede County, Mo. to Ferd Carl and Nannie Bell O’Quinn Broyles.
On July 7, 1968, he was united in marriage to Marilyn Louise Huckaby, and they shared 49 years before Marilyn’s passing on Aug. 28, 2017.
He was also preceded in death by his parents; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Ernst and Helen Huckaby; a brother-in-law, Tom Kinnett; a sister-in-law, Carl Jean Baughman; and a nephew, Mike Baughman.
Russell was born in 1930, and three and one half years later on Aug. 24, 1933, he was joined by a little sister, Betty Glee, the surprise of his life. He attended Hazel Dell School for eight years, and then Lebanon High School until graduating in 1949. He then served his country faithfully in the United States Army from 1950 until 1953 and was in the active reserves for five years. In the 1950 school term he taught at Harmony School and then from 1953-1954 he taught at Heard School. He received his Associate Degree from Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar in 1954, and his Bachelor of Science Degree from Missouri State University in Springfield in 1956. While studying at Southwest Baptist he met Marilyn, his future wife, and after sixteen years of friendship they were married in 1968. He earned his Master’s Degree in Education from Drury University in Springfield in 1959. In January of 1956, he continued his teaching career at Independence Public Schools in Independence, Mo., retiring from there in July of 1985. Russel and Marilyn then made their home near Lebanon and enjoyed their retirement years. They had a little dog, “Smokey,’’ that kept them in line for several years. He enjoyed gardening and grew and sold vegetables for 24 seasons at Laclede County Farmers Market in Lebanon. He the overseer of the Hough Chapel Cemetery for a number of years and also enjoyed writing and reading poetry.
He was converted during a revival meeting at Happy Church in September of 1945 and was baptized at Long Ford by Rev. Henry Long. He was a longtime active member of Happy Hill Church.
He is survived by his sister, Betty Kinnett of Lebanon; several nieces and nephews including Doug and Marty Kinnett, Dwight and Lynn Kinnett, Teresa (Kinnett) and George Inman, Mark Baughman, Brenda Baughman, Lynn Baughman, and all their families; special friends, Dennis and Judy Lambeth; as well as a host of other relatives and friends.
Funeral services for James “Russell’’ Broyles will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2022, in the Holman-Howe Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Hough Chapel Cemetery under the direction of Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Lebanon. A memorial has been established to the Happy Hill Church Youth Program. Memorial donations may be left at the funeral home. For more information or to view or sign the online memorial visit www.holmanhowe.com.
