Russell Ray Kerl died peacefully at home on February 12, 2022 at the age of 97. He was born July 30, 1924 in Pawnee City, NE. He will be greatly missed by children, Jim (Elise), Dan (Susan), Russell Jr. (Betsy), and Marie (Elizabeth). He is also survived by his grandchildren, Sophie, Christopher, Alice, Matthew, and Russell III “Trey”; sister, Katten Hurst (John); and nieces and nephews. Russell was preceded in death by his wife Orenita Patricia Powers, parents, Lawrence Lee Kerl and Katie Simmons, brother Robert Kerl (Jo) and sister Alice Ann Kerl. Russell had a long and active life. He was raised on a farm in southeast Nebraska at the Kansas border and attended a one-room schoolhouse. He served our country in World War II as an aircraft mechanic in the 8th Army Air Corps, serving in Burtonwood, England. He returned in 1946 to attend college in Mobile, AL. Russell met Orenita in a chemistry class, and told her to get some red shoes so he could take her dancing. She became the love of his life, and they were married October 1, 1950, in Mobile, AL. Russell completed an electrical engineering degree from Alabama Polytechnic Institute in 1950 and accepted a position with IBM. This led to work in Pensacola, FL, Poughkeepsie, NY, Santa Monica, CA, and Kingston NY before the space program brought him to Huntsville in 1964. He completed a degree in mechanical engineering from UAH and was one of the engineers working on the Saturn 5 project. One last move with IBM in 1977 took him to San Jose, CA where Russell was awarded a patent with IBM in February 1982 for the invention of a static electricity discharge mechanism for magnetic heads. His diagnosis of this critical manufacturing problem and his invention saved the entire production of thin-film disc heads, which was a multi-million-dollar project. The couple returned to Huntsville in retirement and enjoyed an active life of travel around the United States and world, and activities around Huntsville. Russell was nicknamed “Smiley” as a youngster due to his jovial nature, and the name fit him well! He had the “gift of gab” and could talk to anyone, which made him much loved by all who knew him. Russell was a member of St. Charles Anglican Church, and active in the Huntsville chapter of the 8th Army Air Corps Veterans group. He traveled to England again in 2019 at the age of 95 with son Jim to re-visit locations he served in the war. Visitation will be from 10 to 11 a.m. on Wednesday, February 16, 2022, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. The funeral will follow in the chapel with Father Mark Brown officiating. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pawnee County Medical Foundation, 600 I Street, Pawnee City, NE 68420.
