MUSKOGEE, Okla. — Phillip “Phil” Wylie Russell,

77, of Muskogee, Okla., passed on September 23, 2023, in Tulsa, Okla. Phil was born on February 18, 1946, in Bentonville, Ark., to Pete and Virginia Russell.

Phil attended White Rock Elementary and graduated from Pineville High School. After his graduation he attended Crowder Junior College in Neosho, Mo. He also served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War in the 454th/320th Bomb Wing SAC.

He was married in 1973 to Jackie Hadden of Nashville, Tenn. for 14 years and they had two sons, Phillip Jason Russell and Joshua Luke Russell.

In 1975, he found a career as a pipeline welder with the Local 798 Union out of Tulsa, Okla., where he was trained by his father-in-law, Jack Hadden. Phil continued this career for 40 plus years before retiring. This career path allowed him to travel all over the world to include Iraq, Iran, South America and nearly all 50 states within the U.S.A. In 1989 he met his long-term partner, Janice Chapman and her three children, Jason and Chad Chapman, and Cassie Chapman Moon. While traveling, Phil would put his favorite hobbies to work, fishing and hunting. Phil was an avid quail and game bird hunter and loved to fish for small and large mouth bass primarily. He would often take his sons back to his hometown of Jane, Mo., and fish in Little Sugar Creek as well as other surrounding lakes and streams. He would also take them camping whenever the weather allowed and sometimes when it did not. They would go on miles long fishing trips floating Little Sugar.

As his sons got older, Phil introduced golfing to them and would take them golfing in Muskogee during their times together. Phil loved to read Louis L’Amour books for the cowboy adventures and detailed descriptions of places he had once visited within his travels.

Phil was a long-time member of the Shriners and the Scottish Rite. He always said he liked the Shriners for the services they provided for children. Phil was a generous man, teaching his sons to give whenever walking by Salvation Army bell ringers and the wayward homeless. He would give his children money to put in their buckets and would tell them to support others when able to, because at times everyone in life needs a helping hand. Phil was loved by many and a great father who did everything for his sons in order for them to have a better life than he had.

Phil was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Roger and Jim Russell.

Phil is survived by his two sons and families, Phillip “Jason” Russell and his wife, Lessie, of Clarksville, Tenn., and Joshua Russell and his wife, Amanda, of Tulsa, Okla.; and four grandchildren, Phillip Luke Russell, Cadence Lynn Russell, Krew Grayson Russell, and Hudson Jase Russell.

A celebration of life service will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday, September 27th, 2023, at Floral Haven Funeral Home Chapel, Broken Arrow, Okla. Phillip will be laid to rest at Jane Cemetery in Jane, Mo., at a later date.