Russ Allen

Russ Allen has been attending Graham Memorial with his family since 2010 and they became members almost immediately… if you consider 5 years later immediately! He and his wife Jana have been married for 29 years. They have two lovely daughters; Suzanne is a high school senior and off to college somewhere in the fall. The family is on pins and needles but are “praying it’s someplace dark and cold… Just kidding!” Suzanne been accepted into several good schools and has a bright future in front of her. Lily is a freshman at CHS and “still likes me. So that’s a plus.”

Russ helped start the AWANA T&T Club for 3rd-6th grade boys and girls “after Mrs. Rebecca twisted my arm” in the summer of 2007. He served as the director of the Boys’ Club for 3 years alongside some amazing leaders and saw several years of kids have fun, learn the Bible, and build friendships. He currently serves as an Elder.

As a child, Russ dreamed of being either a professional baseball player or a marine biologist. He was mesmerized by “The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.” He quit playing baseball after junior high, and joined the Navy out of high school. Eventually he got an NROTC commission, flew helicopters for a few years, and now he flies as an airline pilot. In his spare time, Russ enjoys running and refers to himself as a “full-on Bird Nerd!”

Some “fun facts” about Russ: When asked about what brand of toothpaste he uses, Russ confidently answered Colgate. “I hate the taste of Crest, which is what my mom always bought. Crest…is not the best.” If he could go back in time and meet anyone at all, other than the obvious choice of Jesus, he would choose to spend time with J.R.R. Tolkien. He hopes that this small blurb helps people connect not just with him, but with others in the worshiping community.