Raymond S. Russell, longtime resident of Lyndonville, died peacefully Wednesday morning, Dec. 8, 2010, at the age of 102, at the home of his caregiver, Deborah Baldwin, in St. Johnsbury. He was born Aug. 10, 1908, in St. Johnsbury, the last surviving child of Perley and Maude (Smith) Russell. Raymond was a second-generation centenarian, as his father lived to 103. He was raised in St. Johnsbury and attended St. Johnsbury Trade School. On Aug. 17, 1930, he married Evelyn Forsyth. From 1940 to 1968, Raymond operated his own business, Russell's Men Shop, located in Lyndonville, alongside his younger brother Hazen, who owned Russell's Drug Store. He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army in Europe with the 277th Engineer Combat Battalion during World War II. Raymond was a member of many area organizations, including a charter member of Lyndonville Rotary Club in 1951, the Lyndon Outing Club, the Masonic Crescent Lodge 66 of Lyndonville, the Lyndon Area Chamber of Commerce, the VFW Post 10038 of Lyndonville, and a two-time commander of the American Legion Post 30 of Lyndon. He was a long-standing member of the Lyndonville First Congregational Church and the Westmore Congregational Church at Willoughby Lake, serving as lay minister and deacon at both churches. He was one of the Christmas crèche builders, along with his brothers Hazen and Reg, and Paul Aubin and Russ Griswold, that was on display in Lyndonville for many years during the Christmas season. An avid winter sports enthusiast, Raymond enjoyed skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, hunting, and was a pilot. He and his wife built a cottage on Willoughby Lake in 1934 that they owned for fifty years, and enjoyed many canoe rides at sunset. In his later years he and his wife Evelyn enjoyed traveling. They were married an extraordinary 75 years before she predeceased him in 2005. He was also predeceased by his five siblings, Hazen Russell, Reginald Russell, Dorothy Dawson, Jeannette Ripley, and Marion Sparrow. Survivors include his son, David Russell and wife Irene of Lakewood, CA; nieces, Sheila Teske and husband Ken of Lyndonville, Linda Shatney and husband William of Greensboro, Phyllis Smart and husband Bill of Florida, and Marjorie Kilgus of Florida; nephews, Milton Russell of Montpelier, Perley Sparrow and wife Katherine of New York; and several grand nieces, grand nephews, and cousins. A memorial service and burial in Lyndon Center Cemetery is planned for late spring or early summer. In lieu of flowers, donations made in Raymond's memory may be directed to the Lyndonville First Congregational Church, P. O. Box 193, Lyndonville, VT 05851-0193.