Russell Edward Pace

May 24, 1929 – Oct. 9, 2020

Russell Pace, 91, died Oct. 9, 2020.

Born in Dallas, Texas on May 24, 1929, he was the son of Elbert Edward and Lacy Jean Russell Pace. He graduated from Perry high school in 1947 and continued his education at Oklahoma A. & M. He pledged the social fraternity Sigma Chi Fraternity, where he was a member of an intramural basketball tournament and was on the Dean’s honor roll. Following his junior year, he was one of 170 Oklahoma A. & M. college R.O.T.C. cadets who took part in six weeks of training at the administration camp at Brooks Air Force base, Texas. In his senior year Russell was elected president of Gamma Sigma, honorary fraternity in the school of commerce, was initiated into Beta Alpha Psi, national honorary accounting fraternity, and served as an executive officer in squadron E of the air force reserve officers’ training corps.

He married his childhood sweetheart, Joann Faye Gaines, at the First Methodist Church of Lucien, Oklahoma on August 11, 1951. Their first home was in Stillwater where both continued their education. Russell graduated from A. & M. with a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce and a second lieutenant’s commission in the Air Force. He took a position in the main accounting department with Cities Service Oil at Bartlesville, Oklahoma while awaiting a call to active duty.

In October, 1952 he received the call and began his duty as a military policeman, and later in supply accounting. While in the military he passed the Oklahoma state board of accountancy exam to qualify as a certified public accountant. His professional career was as a stockbroker and CPA.

Russell and Joann made their home in Oklahoma City and were blessed with three children, Valerie, Russell Junior, and Tom. Valerie passed from leukemia at age 5.

In addition to Valerie, he was preceded in death by his wife, Joann, in 2018.

Survivors are Russell Pace, Jr. and his partner Maryjo Meacham, his son, Travis Pace; and Tom and Leslie Pace and their daughters, Emily and Abby.