Russell Dewane Gum

Russell Dewane Gum, born January 7, 1944, the 6th child of Jessie B. Gum, Jr. and Pauline Anna Dix in Greenwood County, Eureka, Kansas passed away on May 21, 2011 at his rural home near Red Rock, Oklahoma at the age of 67. Services have been entrusted to Palmer Marler Funeral Home of Stillwater and will be held 2:00 p.m. Thursday, May 26, 2011 at the Palmer Marler Funeral Home Chapel with Reverend Richard Levings presiding. He attended school at the Eureka and Tonovay, Kansas. Russel married Caroline Sue Altis on October 21, 1962 in Severy, Kansas. When Russell married Caroline, he was working for an oil rig in West Virginia. After their marriage, he decided to stay in Kansas and went to work farming with his brother. Russell then drove a truck for Bob Williams in 1963. During his lifetime, he worked for several farmers and ranchers, as well as being a truck driver off and on for different companies. He worked for Glen Bowers Trucking clearing timber from the Kaw Lake area for building the dam there. He also worked for Brown, Rout, and Zackery Construction before working for 15 years from 1979-1994 at OG&E in Red Rock as an equipment operator and foreman. He took early retirement and then worked for Bluestem Construction, followed by more truck driving for Glass Trucking out of Newkirk, OK. He retired for health reasons completely in 2006. Russell did some rodeo in his early years until he broke his ankle riding bareback horses in 1977. However, he continued to train and break horses as a hobby. He loved to hunt and fish. He also did some mini tractor pulling. Most of all, he loved his grandchildren, making sure to attend all their sporting events. He was well known for always tinkering in the garage to build something. Russell was a member of the Nazarene Church of Eureka, Kansas. Russell was also a veteran who joined the Army National Guard on June 10, 1961 as a Private E-2. On July 18, 1967 he joined the Army Reserve and was honorably discharged ON June 30, 1969. Survivors include his wife Caroline of the home; two sons, Dewane Gum of Morrison, OK and Randy E. and Melissa J. Gum of Red Rock; 6 grandchildren, Josh Gum and Jalissa Gum of Red Rock and Donald, Justin, Caralyssa, and Garrett Gum of Morrison; brother Harvey Gum of Dodge City, KS and sister Lois Dimick of Towanda, KS; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Russell was preceded in death by both of his parents, two brothers, Lawrence and Everett Gum; one sister, Elnora; and his daughter, Caroline Elaine Gum.
Memorial Contributions can be made to the American Cancer Society or American Heart Association in care of Palmer Marler Funeral Home.