Carl Russell, age 84, of Carrollton, Alabama died Saturday, March 7, 2020 at his residence. Funeral services will be 11:00 AM Wednesday, March 11, 2020 at Carrollton Baptist Church with Rev. Wes Jones officiating. Burial will follow in Carrollton City Cemetery with Skelton Funeral Home of Reform directing. Visitation will be Tuesday, March 10, 2020 from 6 - 8 PM at the funeral home and one hour prior to the service at the church.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Richard Bryan Russell; sister, Sadie Russell Harlan; nephews, Tommy Seymer, Joseph Harlan, Ricky Russell and David Drain; great-great nephew, Bryan Russell; brothers-in-law, Wallace Lee Drain, Jr. and Clyde Harlan.
Survivors include his wife of 60 years, Rose Marie Johnson Russell; daughter, Karla Russell Hall (Randy); son, Allen Mark Russell; three sisters, Faye Russell, Mary Evelyn Drain, Bobbie Hatcher (Marvin); brother, Butch Russell (Betty); five grandchildren, Joseph Adkins (Mandy), Anna Jones (Taylor), Ryan Sullivan, Matthew Russell (Jordan)and Emily Pegram (Lee) and five great-grandchildren, Haley Adkins, Hunter Adkins, Dylan Russell, River Jones and Nora Rose Pegram.
Carl was born July 8, 1935 in Carrollton, Alabama to the late Hilary S. Russell and Mannie Bryan Russell. He was a member of Carrollton Baptist Church where he served as a deacon and Sunday School teacher from 1978 until he was no longer able to attend.
In 1978 he received the State Handicapped Man of the Year Award for the state of Alabama at the 25th Physically Handicapped Anniversary Convention. At the time he received this award, he was serving the Tombigbee Chapter as President of the State Physically Handicapped Association. He graduated in 1953 from Carrollton High School and was a lifelong resident of Pickens County. He was employed by AT&N Railroad until he left to serve in the Army.
Pallbearers will be Glenn Drain, Hilary Russell, Mike Russell, Robert Hall, Mike Smith and Tony McDaniel.
Honorary Pallbearers are the Carrollton High School Class of 1953 and the Carrollton Baptist Church deacons.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Carrollton Baptist Church Benevolence Fund, P.O. Box 457, Carrollton, AL 35447.

Carl Russell was a unique person whose interests spanned many areas. He could find joy in the simplest things. Most, who knew him, never knew that he loved writing poetry. He loved family history. Because his grandparents died so young, her knew little about them; never having a grandmother's home to visit or a grandfather from whom he could learn. That was his goal when he wrote his book, Poor but Unaware. He wanted to give his children and others who'll follow, a window into his life, how he lived it and the people with whom he shared his journey.

He loved young people and enjoyed spending time with them. From the time he was a child, he was fascinated with the wonders of nature. He was glad to share this love with his eight young nephews. They hunted, fished, camped and explored. His remaining nephews have so many hilarious stories, still talked about till this day, about their adventures. As Carl grew older, he became an exemplary role model for the boys, and tried to teach them lessons about life; good and bad choices and consequences they bring. They called him, Unk, and they all remained close until he died.

In 1959. Fate would intervene. A life altering tragedy would soon occur that would require a challenging response. Carl would have to summon uncommon strength, courage, patience and determination to confront the huge task that now lay before him.

The military draft was in effect. Many young men viewed it as an obligation, one most serve, before moving forward with their chosen career. He and three friends decided they would join the Army and serve basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Their training would be in the Reserve.

It was late afternoon on the day of their discharge and on their way home when the accident occurred. Just outside of Heflin, Alabama, their car wrecked, hitting a bridge abutment and flipping over the bridge into the deep ravine below. Carl, being the only one conscious , knew that he must get help, since the car would not be visible from the highway. He crawled out of the car and realized he had no feeling in his legs. Survival, he thought, hinged upon his ability to, somehow, get himself to the highway above. He used his strong arms to drag himself, dead legs and all, up the embankment. He made the climb and help would soon arrive.

He was taken to the hospital in Anniston, Alabama where tests revealed a broken back and a spinal cord almost severed. Surgery was performed and after few weeks, he would be flown to Brook Army Hospital at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas. He would receive more surgery and grueling physical therapy. His stay there would be a year. When it was done, he was told he would never walk again. He was 23 years old.

Before the accident, he and Rose Marie had planned to be married soon after his basic training was finished at Fort Jackson, SC, a year earlier. Of course, that must wait until he returned from his stay in Texas. He would tell the story that he offered her an opportunity to back out of the marriage and would not have blamed her if she did. A future with him would be altered because of his inability to walk. She told him she loved him, and they would travel life's journey together. Last year they celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary.

Perhaps, Carl Russell's greatest legacy is the way he turned tragedy into a blessing. An injury such as he sustained and lived with, would have made an invalid out of a lesser young man. Rose Marie never looked upon him as a crippled man and he, defying all odds, managed to accomplish most of what he wanted to do. He always said, "I can do anything another man can do, it just might take me a little longer."

He loved people and had great empathy for those having trouble in their lives. He felt a tremendous burden to witness the Love of Christ to those who were unsaved and unchurched. One time he was concerned about someone whose life was being so affected by depression. He said he was going to visit this person, but before doing so he said he needed to study up on it "because I've never been depressed a day in my life"! His paralysis invited recurring infections, major heart attacks, heart bypass surgery, prostate cancer and finally suffering the ravages of dementia. But according to his thinking, "never depressed a day in my life" ! This man was happy and he enjoyed life. What a testament to his ability to accept his condition and never complaining, never questioning, found a way to live a full life, help others when he could, never wavering in his Love of the Lord and God's plan for his life. His wife and his children inspired him and he inspired others. He was the most remarkable human being one could ever know.

His crutches and braces now rest after being his legs for more that sixty years. They're no longer needed here. His wheelchair isn't moving now, the one that must have carried him thousands of miles. The one he used to give the newest child in the family a ride, up and down the hall, most often singing to them. That sweet ride with Granddaddy was special and it became a tradition.

This good man, who has died, bears little resemblance to that strong, handsome young man all those years ago. His fragile body and his sharp mind completely gone. He would not want one single person to grieve his passing. His life amid all it's joy and sorrow, was so worth living.

Because of his love and obedience to the Lord, there can bo no doubt about his destiny. He, most surely, rests in the arms of Jesus Christ, Our Savior. He'll be missed by all who knew and loved him. He has left a blueprint, profound and true, to all who observed now he lived his life. It has truly shown us how to live and how to die. Rest in Peace, Carl Russell. You have earned your Heavenly Reward.