When cancer and pneumonia claimed Jon Russell on Dec. 7, 2023, at the age of 76, the world lost a true artist, patriot, historian, and consummate storyteller. To those who knew him well in Howard County, he was also a dear friend. A true Renaissance man, Jonathan Russell’s interests ran from sculpture to painting, from the history of the United States to his family history, from etched glass to pipe organs, from military service to K-12 art teacher, from restoring historic buildings to creating modern spaces. Sculptor, painter, sign maker, karate master, preservationist, county historian, muralist, teacher, mentor, leader.
Born in La Porte, Indiana, in 1947, Jon was the son of a traveling pastor. The family’s moves took them as far east as Delaware and then back to Indiana, where Jon graduated from Carroll (County) High School in 1965. Jon served as an Army medic in Vietnam and completed a bachelor’s degree in art education, fine art and art history at Purdue University in 1976.
During some 50 years in Howard County, working under the name Russell Design, Jon racked up an impressive list of experiences. While his professional credentials were extraordinary, he was also a family man. Jon and his wife, Amy, who recently retired after decades of local library work, raised three children in Kokomo and welcomed their first grandchild in 2023. Jon was a member and former president of the Howard County Historical Society and the Howard County Genealogical Society, served as president of the Kokomo Historic Review Board, and served on the advisory board of the Russiaville Historical Society. Jon was also instrumental in obtaining National Register of Historic Places designation for a number of local historic properties. Many buildings throughout Howard County regained structural integrity and historic authenticity thanks to Jon’s work as carpenter and contractor.
As a member of Preserving Wildcat Valley, Jon helped promote the history of the creek’s winding path. He worked with the Kokomo Early History Learning Center, looking at the area’s history before the arrival of Europeans. In addition, Jon was a founding member of the Kokomo Designers’ Showhome project, an annual fundraiser for the YWCA. Military service and military history were also subjects dear to this U.S. Army veteran. He was a member of the American Legion and active in the Sons of the American Revolution. As a member of the board of the Howard County Veterans Memorial Committee, he was an integral part of the development of monuments at Darrough Chapel Park and on the courthouse square to honor veterans’ service and sacrifice.
In the 1990s, Jon turned his talents to sculpting, creating the lion’s head that decorates “Old City Hall” (now the Hobson) as well as the figure of Jesus Christ that graces the Kokomo Rescue Mission. In 2015, his impressive statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was unveiled as the centerpiece of the MLK memorial park on Apperson Way at Jackson Street. When Jon died, the tributes poured in, attesting to his skills – and how much he is missed.
