Russell Blackwell

Russell Blackwell,of Vestavia, passed away on Wednesday, May 12, 2010, at the age of 87. He retired as a coal mine foreman from Alabama By-Products and Drummond Coal, where he helped open the Mary Lee 1 & 2 mines and also worked at Praco and Maxine mines. He was a member of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church and a former member of Westwood Baptist Church. Mr. Blackwell was an avid hunter and fisherman. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, a dedicated Christian and ordained deacon. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice Cole Blackwell, son-in-law Phillip Dale Corley, Sr., 4 sisters and 3 brothers. He is survived by a daughter, Rena Blackwell Corley Chamblee (Charles) of Vestavia; 2 grandchildren, Phillip Dale Corley, Jr. (Isabel) and Susie Corley Walker (Ben) both of Mountain Brook; 2 step grandchildren, Teresa Chamblee Shufflebarger (Bob) of Mountain Brook and Charles Chamblee Jr. (Alisa) of Little Rock, AR; 5 great grandchildren, John, Beck and Sam Corley, and Anne McKinley and Gracie Walker; 4 step great grandchildren, Chamblee and Margaret Shufflebarger and Will and Jonathan Chamblee; a brother, Edward Blackwell of Orlando, FL; a sister, Rachel Randolph of Jasper; and a special caregiver and friend, Laura Hancock. The family will receive friends on Friday, May 14, 2010, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Currie-Jefferson Funeral Home, Hwy. 150, Hoover. Funeral service will follow at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Dr. Gary Fenton offiating. Interment will be in Jefferson Memorial Gardens, South. Memorial contributions may be made to Dawson Memorial Baptist Church Legacy of Faith or M-Power Ministries.