Russell LeRoy Kime

Russell Leroy Kime, 81, of St. Joseph, died Sunday, February 5, 2006, at Lakeland Hospital. A Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be held 4:30 P.M., Saturday, February 18, 2006, at First Church of God, with Rev. Greg Prather officiating. Memorials may be made in Russell’s name to the Christopher Reeve Foundation. Arrangements are entrusted to Kerley-Starks & Menchinger Family Funeral Home, 2650 Niles Rd., St. Joseph. Russ honorably served his country in World War II as a Staff Sergeant. He was at the Battle of the Bulge. After coming home he married Joyce Goodrich and had his first child; a son. Only two short years later he became a victim of polio and almost didn’t survive, but fought back and was eventually able to walk again with a cane. He had a second child seven years later; a daughter. He later was a victim of post polio syndrome which made it very difficult for him to get around as he had before. He was a survivor through it all. Russ is surely in heaven running as he dreamed of. He is free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty he is free at last. Russ was a wonderful father to his two children and a great father-in-law and grandpa. He was a Lifetime member of St. Joseph’s Elk Club. Russ is survived by his wife Joyce; daughter Kim (Don) Karnes; son Randy (Lana) Kime; grandchildren Jessica, Tyler, Abby, Marcus, and Marcy.