Family, friends honor longtime DA Robert Russel

The funeral of longtime 4th Judicial District Attorney Robert L. Russel was sprinkled with laughter.

“That was him,” said Brenda Cain, who attended Russel’s funeral on Saturday. “He paid attention to detail, but he had fun in life.”

More then 200 people attended the service Saturday at Holy Apostles Catholic Church, including family, friends, police officers and civic leaders.

“I know this is the kind of send-off he would have wanted,” son Michael Russel of St. Louis, Mo., said in remarks. “Family and friends meant the world to him.”

Robert Russel died Jan. 25 of lung disease at St. Francis Select Care in Colorado Springs. He was 82.

Russel, a Republican, served as the 4th Judicial District’s district attorney for El Paso and Teller counties from 1965 to 1985. He prosecuted cases himself, helped launch the careers of countless attorneys and was key to changing the region’s approach to justice.

Although re-elected four times, Russel’s service as district attorney ended when he lost a race to Democrat Barney Iuppa.

Iuppa, now an El Paso County District judge, said Saturday that even though he and Russel were political opponents, they were still friends.

“He was the epitome of a gentleman and the exemplar of a great prosecutor,” Iuppa said.

Catholic Bishop Emeritus Richard Hanifen said that although Russel was tough on crime, he was also gentle, finding ways to rehabilitate criminals.

“Not many people can say they gave their life to the community,” said Bill Morse, adding that Russel did. Morse has known the family for years, and worked with one of his sons.

Cain started working for Russel in 1976 in child support enforcement. She also worked for a time with Russel’s late wife. “He was a wonderful man, with so much spirit,” she said.

Russel’s children shared pieces of his personal life at the service Saturday, including his love of music and unwavering support of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Michael Russel even shared things that his father wasn’t so good at, including one camping trip. Between trouble with setting up the tent and trouble with fishing, his father swiftly put all his sons into Boy Scouts, he said.

“It will be weird to us to not have dad in our life,” he said at the service.

Russel is survived by four sons, three daughters and 15 grandchildren.

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