Funeral services for Russell H. Hancock will be held 11 a.m. Monday, March 11, 2019, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Spring Valley, with Reverend Mark Van House and Pastor Betsy Dartt officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:30 a.m. until time of service on Monday at the church. Spring burial will take place at Bloomfield Cemetery, Bloomfield Township, Fillmore County.
Russell Homer Hancock, age 97, of Spring Valley, Minn., died Wednesday, March 6, 2019, at Ostrander Care and Rehab. He was born August 16, 1921, in Howard County, Iowa, (rural Chester) to Thomas and Lillian (Diedrickson) Hancock. Russell attended three different country schools through the eighth grade. As a boy he enjoyed fishing, trapping and hunting, especially fox. As a young man he farmed with his parents and worked for neighboring farmers. He then went to work for International Chemical in Mason City, Iowa, for two years before returning to Granger, Minn., where he was employed by the Granger Creamery for four years. In 1951 he started working as a carpenter and painter. It was during this time he tore down the Ostrander Great Western Depot. Russell also worked at the Ostrander Hardware Store for five years before moving, along with the business, to Spring Valley Hardware and Appliance where he worked for 42 years. On August 27, 1957, he was united in marriage to Lorraine Johnson at the Bloomfield Lutheran Church Parsonage. In 1965 Russell was baptized and confirmed at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church. At the end of 1985 he retired from the store but continued to do service calls for a number of years. Russell enjoyed doing yard and garden work and also enjoyed traveling to visit friends and relatives.
Russell is survived by his wife Lorraine of Spring Valley, 21 nieces and nephews and a sister-in-law, Dolores Wood, of Pell City, Ala. He was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers: Nathan, Eldon and Richard.
Condolences may be left at www.hindtfuneralhomes.com.