Community celebrates Russell

A long time pillar of the Red Oak community has been honored at Fountain Square Park.
A memorial plaque was recently installed on the square to honor the memory of Miles Russell, a beloved member of the community.
Russell’s wife Teresa and daughter Michelle Sander helped spearhead the effort for the plaque. Teresa said she had a different plan in mind.
“I wanted to do something in Fountain Square Park because Miles liked the park and he did a lot of work down there. I initially wanted to do a bench but I found out there was no more room for benches. It was Park and Tree Board Chairman Bill Drey who suggested that we do a sign at the Fountain Square Park stage as a memorial,” Teresa said.
Michelle said the location of the sign also held a lot of significance, as it was one of Russell’s last major projects.
“It was the last project my father did with the city. The City of Red Oak helped us. They knew someone who made signs and had done so for the square before. The city got the sign for us and installed the sign for us as well,” state Michelle.
Michelle added there was something else she found special about the memorial sign’s location.
“The sign is on the other side of the stage from the sign for band teacher Richard Simpson. I remember Dad talking about Simpson and how much he did for the town. I thought it was really cool that Dad’s sign ended up on the opposite side of the stage as his, since Dad talked about what an impact Simpson had on the town,” Michelle said.
Michelle added she had many fond memories of her father, whom much of the community nicknamed “Smiley.”
“He was very devoted to Red Oak. He always gave back to the community and it was important for him to be involved,” commented Michelle. “He was passionate about his family as well.”
Michelle added she heard many stories from people who knew Russell and his generosity following his passing.
“When he passed away, we heard so much about what dad had done for the town, and what a major loss it was for the town. We heard a lot of great stories about him and about how much of a jokester he was,” explained Michelle.
After the sign’s installation, Teresa and Michelle stood proudly alongside the memorial plaque commemorating Miles’ years of selfless service and unwavering commitment to Red Oak. Teresa said she felt a mix of emotions.
“It was a little sad, but it felt good to get it done,” Teresa said.
Michelle also felt a mix of emotions when she was standing next to the completed remembrance for her father.
“To me, it was another piece of closure on a very tough journey. It’s another place to go and remember my dad and all that he did for the town, and brings some peace in a way,” advised Michelle. “The sign has the electrical man on it that was on Dad’s business cards. It was nice to connect Dad in that way to the sign. It made it more personable. That’s what Dad always did for Red Oak: He made sure to service things right. Having that logo on the memorial sign puts a bow on all of it.”
Michelle also felt the location will help keep Russell’s memory fresh as the stage contnues to get upgraded.
“Dad always was involved in Junction Days, he was a huge part of the car show, and the Christmas festivities and all that happens down on the square. Even as a kid I remember helping Dad with all the electrical stuff on the stage. As with the electrical man from the business card, it keeps Dad in people’s memories and ties together all the things he was a part of that took place down at the square,” Michelle said.
Michelle also wanted to give special praise to the staff of the City of Red Oak for all they did to help them in making this goal become a reality.
“We really appreciated all the city did to help us through this journey. When we scheduled the day to install the sign, it ended up falling on one of the hottest days of the summer. I live in Ankeny and had made arrangements to come down on that particular day, and they followed through for us. It was important to them as well to help with it, which meant a lot to us,” explained Michelle. “Beyond that, the town as a whole has done so much for us to help us through this incredibly tough journey to selling the business and moving on. We appreciate this community so much. There’s something about the support of a small town that I don’t always see in a big city. There’s a lot of bad out there. So when you can be reminded of all the good that’s still out there, it’s really nice. We’ve seen a lot of good since this happened.”
Michelle said the memorial plaque serves as a beacon of Miles’ enduring spirit, reminding us all of the difference one individual can make. His life was a testament to the power of community and the importance of giving back.