Bobby Gene Russell

Bobby Gene Russell, 73, of Tompkinsville passed away on Thursday, July 6, 2023 at his home surrounded by family and friends. 

Bobby was born at home on December 5, 1949 to the late Eugene and Edith (Hammer) Russell of the Ebenezer Community.  It is of no surprise that Bobby decided to come into this world feet first so he could hit the ground running, ready to work.  Bobby’s work ethic was like no other, and he rarely let a daylight hour go to waste.  He was a proud farmer his entire life and ran his own dozing business for over thirty years.  He loved to point out work he had done across the county to family while driving around the area.  He was very proud of the land he cleared, the yards he fixed, the ponds he dug and the dirt he moved.  He made many friends across Kentucky and Tennessee with his dozing business, and he never forgot a one of them. 

Bobby was also a proud member of the Gamaliel High School graduating class of 1967, and he looked forward to each of their class reunions for many months.  Until his health declined last year, he did not miss a single reunion and always spoke of each of his classmates with love, kindness, and respect.

Bobby was a member of Gulley Creek Missionary Baptist Church, where he got saved bowed in the back of the church during the revival in the summer of 1967.  While he did not talk about his faith often throughout his life, he made up for it in these last few months and repeatedly spoke of how beautiful heaven will be and how he longed to go home. 

On November 24, 1967, Bobby married his teenage sweetheart, Janice Tooley, at the young ages of 18 and 16 respectively.   They made their home on their family farm in Ebenezer and went on to have two children:  Shannon (Daniel) Sexton of Glasgow and Kathy (Jeff) Taylor of Tompkinsville.  In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by 5 grandchildren who he adored: Parker (finance, Sierra), Ethan and Amelia Sexton of Glasgow and Clara and Lexi Taylor of Tompkinsville.  He is also survived by one sister Patricia (Robert, “Toddy”) Isenberg of Louisville; one brother, Ricky (Kim) Russell of Tompkinsville; a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins; and Bo Wesley Simpson (Kristie), who Bobby loved like a son. 

He is proceeded in death by his parents, Eugene and Edith Russell; one sister in law, Judy Biggerstaff; and one brother-in-law Jackie Tooley. 

Bobby will be remembered by all for his outgoing personality.  He loved to laugh and tell jokes and repeated the same ones often.  He was his happiest when he was working on his farm, driving the dozer or riding his motorcycle.   

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 on Monday, July 10th at Yokley Trible Funeral Home with Brother Barry Davenport and Brother Jerry Tooley officiating. Burial is in Ebenezer Cemetery.

Visitation is Sunday, July 9th, 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. and Monday, July 10th, 8:00 a.m. until service time at 1:00 at Yokley Trible Funeral Home.  Serving as pallbearers are Parker Sexton, Ethan Sexton, Todd Isenberg, Kirk Cecil, Kirk Biggerstaff, Steve Nunn, Bart Lewis, and Bo Wesley Simpson.

In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to be made in Bobby’s memory to Ebenezer Cemetery or Hosparus of Barren River. 

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bobby Gene Russell, please visit our floral store.