NOTE: Given first name may have been Harry.

MOXEE - Russ Duffield was born June 26, 1916 and died on April 21, 2012 of natural causes. He was born and raised in Moxee, Washington where he attended and graduated from Moxee High School in 1934. Russ (and his brother Ken) took over the family dairy farm and ran it until 1963. He then went to work for the East Valley School District. He retired from there in 1980 after 20 years as the maintenance and grounds supervisor as well as driving school bus. Later he worked in the Ag building during the Central Washington State Fair. He left that job after 10 years and was honored with a lifetime pass to the fair.

Russ was married to his lovely wife Helen in 1937. This June, they would have celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary. He has two children, six grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and two great great-grandchildren. Russ is preceded in his death by his parents W.R. and Lucy Duffield, three brothers, two sisters, his infant son Billy, infant great-granddaughter Morgan, and his mother-in-law Alice Moore. He is survived by his wife Helen Duffield of Moxee, son Dennis Duffield of Moxee, daughter Carole Lunceford of Gresham, OR, his best friend and brother Ken Duffield of Moxee, and many other members of his family.

Russ attended the East Valley Reformed Church and belonged to several clubs and organizations. These included Early Ford V8 Club, Grange, Horseless Carriage Club, Model A Club, The Wenomonas Camper Club, Ag Museum, Yakima Trolley Museum, Stutz Club, Duesenburg Club, and the Wazona Camper Club.

One of Russ's favorite pastimes was traveling in his motor home with his wife. He also loved car racing. He and his wife traveled in their RV every year for six years to the Daytona 500. They had also been to the Indianapolis 500 three times. The two of them had visited every U.S. state but four and had been to every Canadian province. They also traveled to Arizona every winter for three years. Russ took his last trip in his motor home three years ago at age 92 to Fort Stevens in Astoria, OR, a place he used to visit as a child.

Russ also had a passion for antique cars. He had a total of eight cars ranging from 1910 to 1938. He enjoyed taking the cars through parades, taking his 1925 Stutz fire engine to fire musters, and taking his 1910 REO on 2000 mile long trips with the Red Rock Rendezvous club. Two of his cars (the Stutz and his 1926 Model T truck) were featured in the movie "The Runner Stumbles" starring Dick Van Dyke.

Russ Duffield was an excellent mechanic. He even built his own riding lawn mower. A perfect day for him would be mowing his lawn (on the mower he built), sitting in his recliner in his shop while visiting with his wife, going to lunch at Jean's Cottage Inn with his son and grandson, working in his shop, watching the Mariners play, and then talking about the game on the phone with his brother Ken.

He also used to fly. Though he never had his pilots license, Russ learned to fly from one of his best friends. His friend had a WWII Waco biplane which they would both fly to air shows. And, of course, in turn Russ would help him with the maintenance and mechanic work.

Russ lived in the house his father had built in 1910. He was born in the bedroom of the house in 1916. Russ passed away in the bedroom of the house (the same room) he was born in. That was the way he wished it, and that is the way it happened. Truly a blessing from God. He will be deeply missed by all.

Memorials may be made to your favorite charity.

A graveside service will be Friday, April 27, 2012 at 11:30 a.m. at Terrace Heights Memorial Park.

Yakima Herald Republic, Yakima, WA April 25, 2012