Love for area sees fourth generation at helm
jokes, while the son was the more serious type, but had an “incredibly dry sense of humour” which Polly loved.
“Willy and Hilton ran the building and funeral services business at the same time and together.
“When Willy died in 1972, Hilton did not particularly enjoy the carpentry business and closed shop to concentrate on the funeral parlour. He sold the building from which the Mutual Joinery Works operated, bought his sisters out and took over the business,” she said.
Hilton later married and had two children, Edric, born in 1946, and Roland in 1950. The elder son had an interest in the funeral business, but not the younger one.
Hilton and Edric became the second generation of Russell and Son when they formed a partnership.
“Hilton liked to drive and Edric was the one who ran the business.
“There were no cellphones in those days and Hilton would drive long distances to and fro with no hassle. He was also quite an early bird so he was perfect for the job,” said Polly. Edric previously worked at a funeral parlour in Johannesburg for 13 years before he joined the family business and brought a wealth of experience with him.
He and Polly met in Krugersdorp, where he also worked at a funeral parlour and she at the health department.
“Hilton was a workaholic. He never wanted to go on holiday because the funeral business is run 24 hours a day.
“He had a habit of whistling. I missed that so much when he died.
“I would sit at work and know exactly where he was because he was always whistling,” she remembers fondly.
Hilton was sadly diagnosed with Alzheimers and when his condition deteriorated, he was admitted to the then St Catherine’s Nursing Home, which became a home for terminally ill people, where he spent the last six years of his life.
Without any natural children of their own, Edric and Polly fostered 10 children including Sean Russell and offered temporary shelter to about 150 children over the years.
“All our children came from difficult backgrounds, which is why we welcomed them to our home in the first place,” said Polly.
When Sean joined the family, he immediately clicked with Garth van Vreden, who now works for the business as a manager and they were the same age.
“It was the right time for him to join the business because Hilton was hospitalised and Sean stepped into his shoes, starting at the back where he had to sweep the mortuary floor and also do the driving.”
The third generation of Russell and Son began when Sean and Edric started running the business together.
At that point, Edric became involved in the council and focused his energies on serving the people as deputy mayor.
“The first thing Sean told staff was that they had to speak to him in isiXhosa because he wanted to learn,” she said.
Sean is now at the helm of Russell and Son, a legacy his great-grandfather left for the family and the people it serves.