Man Of The Year

Man Of The Year DON RUSSELL

Giving back to Pontotoc is a way of life

BY | REGINA BUTLER

Pontotoc’s newest selected Man of the Year by Progress readers is no stranger to anyone who has attended a Bodock Festival or harvest walk or a myriad of other activities that have been established in Pontotoc over the past years.

Community involvement and community camaraderie and pride is here because of people like Don Russell. You will see him driving the Bodock train up and down Main Street, ringing it’s bell so folks will know the ride is ready, hauling hay bales for fall decorating, putting out flags or taking in flags along Main Street when the patriotic holidays come around, and helping drive a float and take care of what the horse leaves behind at the Christmas Parade.

He grinned a surprised smile when he heard of his honor.

His steely eyes twinkled as he thought about the many things he has done over the years.

“The men of the last generation said there are a few basic things a community needs: recreation, churches, entertainment, a golf course and employment. If you have these things you will have a successful community.

“Pontotoc was established with a heritage of worship, we’ve built a golf course, and former Mayor Howard Stafford helped us with getting recreation when he dug the lake,” Don said; “But since then a host of other activities have been established in the community.”

Russell’s pride in his community started way back at his high school years. A graduate of Pontotoc High School in 1969, his class donated the infamous totem pole that stood at the west end of the field. Years later, as an adult he helped re-work the the totem pole and put it up again. “But since then it has deteriorated more so we had to take it down,” he said. “We will have to find a place for it to be inside so it won’t be in the weather any more. But it has been a symbol of unity for the school all these years. I’ve heard guys on the football team say they touched it as they went out on the field. That warms my heart to know that it has meant that much over these years.”

Don enjoys spending time on the Tanglefoot Trail® wooden bridge.

One of Russell’s many duties through the years was to put out and take down the flags in town.

When his wife retired from the Chamber, Don was there by her side as she said goodbye.

Russell has loved and supported Pontotoc High School all these years. “In fact, when my grandson, Reeves, graduated in 2022, I had him go out to the archway and point at the ‘Class of 1922’ sign that is written on it.”

Steeped in education, Don’s mom and dad, Clyde and Clytee Russell taught at the Longview School. “My mama taught first to fourth grade and daddy was the principal and taught fifth to eighth grades. After that, students had to go to Pontotoc to finish high school.”

And it was his mama that instilled in him the golden rule of life, “Mama taught me to be good to others and they will be good to you.”

His sense of community and loving the place you live in has been passed on to the generation behind him. “I love being here and having my kids close by so I know can see them when I want to,” he said. “Pontotoc has a lot of things going here,” he said. “We make more fun in this county than anywhere else in the world.”

And speaking of his children, he is the daddy to Carrie Stringer, Valerie Caden and Ben Russell. But his favorite title is granddaddy to his three grandyoungsters, Sam, Reeves and Bella.

And it gives him special joy to know that his life has touched many. “I have a thousand people call me Daddy Don. I know a lot of people out in the county because I worked at the oil company. I’ve had people in Gatlenburg, Tennessee or the Mississippi Gulf Coast call out ‘Hey, Daddy Don!’”

Don helped Pontotoc City grounds superintendent Terry Donaldson string lights all across the tops of the buildings in downtown Pontotoc.

They say behind every good man is a woman pushing him to do everything she needs done. Even though he officially retired from the every day grind of keeping up Russell Oil Company back in 2010, his dear wife, Ellen, has kept him busy doing something ever since. If something needed building, fixing, finagling or otherwise put together with parts from who knows where, Don has been called upon to do it.

“Ellen and I have put together giant spiders out of hay bales and elbow pipes, scarecrows and just about anything else that she thought the community would enjoy.” He chuckled. “One day I went to the parts house and told them ‘I came here to get stuff to do stuff with.’”

But he has always been generous with his time. “I’ve driven through the Christmas parade twice on the same night,” he said. “I’d drive a car carrying someone then get back to the start and drive the train through.” But he enjoys the fact that Pontotoc is still a place that people can enjoy a parade.

“A lot of towns don’t have parades any more because of the liability. We have something special here.”

And speaking of parades, since he is man of the year, he will be at the start of the Pontotoc Christmas Parade on Monday, December 5 as Grand Marshall with is lovely wife, Ellen, who is Woman of the Year.

His desire for those who are coming behind him is they will have the same opportunity to enjoy Pontotoc like his has. “I want to leave behind a safe place for kids and families to live.”

Don with his wife Ellen and little dog Rosie are a fixture in their golf cart along the Tanglefoot.