Russell Leroy Young died in his home on Wednesday, September 22, 2021 at 85 years old. He was born in his family’s home on May 2, 1936, in Glenville, Minnesota to Willard and Ruth (Folkestead) Young.

Russell L. Young

Russ began working at a young age as he and his sisters were the town’s paper carriers for many years and his family also owned the local hardware store. Russ attended Albert Lea High School and continued his education at Wessington Springs College in South Dakota. He then went on to Mankato State University in Mankato, MN where he earned a Master’s degree in elementary education. After school, Russ joined the National Guard and traveled with them to Alaska to assist after the Great Alaskan Earthquake in 1964. Russ taught elementary classes for many years in the Rochester School System, his favorite grade to teach was 4th.

Russ met Nancy Lutter while attending Mankato State in biology class. The two of them were married on December 16, 1961. They had two children, April and Amy. Their family enjoyed taking the summers to travel all over the United States. Russ and Nancy took many snow skiing trips and especially enjoyed the view from the slopes in Colorado. Their favorite trips together include a bee keepers trip to Russia, in 1984, and an Alaskan Cruise.

Russ’s hobbies include bee keeping and helping out with men’s bible study at his church. He began his lifelong honeybee hobby at the age of 10 after smelling the scent of honey being extracted one day while walking to school. He was so invested in bee keeping that he took on teaching community education bee keeping classes. Every year in his own classroom, he set up an observation beehive for his students.

Russ is preceded in death by his loving wife Nancy, as well as his parents Willard and Ruth, and sisters Ruth Royer and Bonnie Boyle. He is survived by his daughters, April (Les) Rostad of Rochester, Minnesota, and Amy (Melvin) Church of Owatonna, Minnesota; his five grandchildren, Sonja Rostad (Minneapolis, MN), Bjorn Rostad (Rochester, MN), Freyja Rostad (Rochester, MN), Veronica Church (San Luis Obispo, CA) and Nolan Church (Owatonna, MN); and sister Edith Grosland of Mora, Minnesota.

A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 am on Friday October 1, 2021 at Autumn Ridge Church, Timothy Chapel (3611 Salem Rd SW, Rochester, MN 55902). Visitation will begin at 9:30 am on Friday at the church. Burial will be at Grandview Memorial Gardens. Lunch will be served at the Ranfranz and Vine Event Center (5421 Royal Pl NW, Rochester, MN 55901) following the graveside service.

Memorials may be made to the University of Minnesota Bee Squad (PO Box 860266 Minneapolis, MN 55486-0266) or the Salvation Army.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Young family; to share a special memory or condolence please visit www.ranfranzandvinefh.com