Edwin Russell
Join us in celebrating Edwin—please share your stories and photos, and help spread the word about this page!
Edwin Joseph Russell passed away from post-COVID complications in Knoxville, TN, on January 8, 2021, surrounded by family and friends. Ed was born in Pittsburgh, PA, on July 13, 1948, and grew up in Jacksonville, FL. He attended Robert E. Lee High School and graduated from the University of Georgia.
Ed joined the United States Secret Service in 1976 as a Special Agent and over the course of his career he worked in their Richmond, New York City, and Washington, D.C. offices. During his time in New York, he was one of the original members of the Counter Assault Team program. In 1981, he was transferred to the Presidential Protective Division (White House Detail) during the Reagan administration. He was later assigned to the Intelligence Division and then the Vice Presidential Protective Division. In 1994 he returned to New York, where he served as overall supervisor for the 50th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly, which to that time was the largest gathering of heads of state in the world.
Ed retired from the Secret Service in 1996 and moved to Knoxville. After retirement he founded EJR and Associates, which provided security-related services to companies including Seagram, Amway, and the New York Mets. For 10 years he was a Security Consultant for the Cleveland Browns. For the last several years he taught at Bullman's Kickboxing and Krava Maga, a late in life passion for him.
Ed is survived by his former wives, Dixie Russell (Tallahassee, FL) and Penny Simon (Knoxville, TN), as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and brothers-in law, all of whom he loved very much.
To honor his request Ed was cremated, and his ashes will be spread at sea. Due to the pandemic, a celebration of his life will be scheduled for a later date. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made in Ed's memory to a charity of your choice. Arrangements by Cremation Options, Inc. (865)6WE-CARE (693-2273) www.cremationoptionsinc.com.