Russ was born and raised in Cedar City, UT. He attended and graduated from Cedar High School. He began his funeral service apprenticeship in 1999. Russ graduated with a degree in Mortuary Science from Cypress College in 2000, and worked the following year at Cannon Mortuary in Salt Lake City, UT. Russ has been a funeral director in St. George since 2002 and is an owner of Serenity Funeral Home and the Cremation Center of Southern Utah.

Russ and his wife, Jacqui, are the parents of five children. Russ has more hobbies than free time. He enjoys scuba diving, canyoneering, trials bike riding, 4-wheeling, hiking, hunting, participating in an occasional 5k or triathlon, and spending time with his family.

The demands of being a funeral director can be intense, but Russ truly enjoys helping people and strives to be a source of comfort during a difficult time.