Russell Charles Washburn

Russell Charles Washburn, age 94, of Bluffton, SC and formerly of Leesburg, FL and western New York, died peacefully, Saturday, December 6, 2014. Mr. Washburn was born on September 15, 1920 in Buffalo, NY, the son of the late Russell John Washburn and Marian Genevieve Baxter. He was a veteran of the United States Army Air Corps, serving during WWII. Following his military tenure he began his career with the Atomic Energy Commission and retired as a Quality Control Supervisor after being employed by Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. Mr. Washburn was an accomplished craftsman in the arts of stained glass and woodworking. He was an active participant in the lives of his family, the Methodist Church and was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Salamanca, NY. Mr. Washburn was preceded in death by Amelia (Kula) Washburn, his first wife of 49 years and by Nancy Marlene (Smith) Washburn, his second wife of 15 years. He is also preceded in death by a brother, Robert Carroll Washburn; a sister, Marilyn Jean Rice (Thomas); and daughter-in-law, Patricia Ann Washburn. He is survived by his son, John Charles Washburn of Traverse City, MI; daughters, Bonnie Ann Ridgely (Kirk) of Bluffton, SC, Virginia Marie Butts of Kingwood, TX, and Laura Jean Hammersley (Michael) of Lady Lake, FL; sister, Dorothy Ruth Grey (Samuel) of East Otto, NY; grandchildren, John Keith Washburn, Jennifer Lynn Washburn, Arielle Marie Butts, and Aaron Kerry Butts; great-grandchildren, Tomas James Washburn and his wife Amanda, Zachary Vincent Washburn, Samantha Amelia Fishburn, and Kathryn Ruth Fishburn; and great great-grandchild, Bryce Isaiah Washburn. A graveside funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 16, 2015 at Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hospice Care of South Carolina. A graveside funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Monday, March 16, 2015 at Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC.