James Benjamin Russell was born on May 20, 1936, to Herbert L Russell and Gladys L Brown Russell in Muse, Pennsylvania. He went home to be with The Lord on April 13, 2023. He leaves behind his wife of 36 years, Delores.

At the age of 16, James was called to preach the word of God. During this time, he was also an amateur boxer. After turning down an offer to become a professional boxer, James joined the Air Force in 1954. Because of his previous boxing experience, he was assigned to the Air Force boxing team. He would train and compete in bouts across services. In 1956, he went to the Olympic Trials only to be defeated by a split decision in his last qualifying bout. In 1960, he was a member of the United States Air Force Worldwide Boxing Team.
James continued to preach the Gospel. In 1967, he was ordained an Elder in the Churches of God and Christ by the late Bishop B.R. Stewart. He then went on to pastor churches in both Turkey and Taiwan before retiring from the Air Force in 1974.
James was then led to have church services in his home, gradually moving to the San Francisco Bay Area and eventually establishing and pastoring The Church in God and Christ, Greater Gethsemane. In San Francisco, he also served as Mt Hebron District Superintendent and as State Mission President.
He then founded the Church in God and Christ- "A New Beginning - The Old Way". Bishop Russell was overseer of churches in Liberia and Kenya, Africa, and a church in India. Bishop Russell's joy was his work in The Lord, to preach and teach the word of God.
James loved his family. Together, they would take long walks. He would take the little ones to watch the airplanes take off and land at the airport, and later bike rides followed by ice cream. He frequently took his family on outings to see the Blue Angels or Sea World. The amusement parks and the zoo were just some of his favorite things to do. Big family dinners in his family home gave him joy as he not only shared a meal, but laughter. He was most at home around the people he loved.
Bishop James Russell leaves behind his children, Robert Russell (Anita); Jamesetta Russell, Timothy Russell (Vanessa), Anetta Ikechiuku, Salena Lawson (Shawn), Jesse Towns (Jessica), James Russell II (Cjira); a host of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He also leaves his brothers, David, Carl (Rozalind), and Grover (Tara) and his sisters, Carol (Bert) and Illse. Proceeded in death by his daughter, Yvetta Russell; grandsons, Randal, Maurice, and Noel; brothers Edward, Pete, Herbert, Merrit, and Walter and his sisters; Beverly, Marva, Patricia, and Audrey.

The Funeral Service will be live-streamed at:
https://vimeo.com/event/3354533