Russell Eugene Webb

I am so sorry to hear of Russell’s (Sonny) death. I last spoke to him around Christmas of 2017.

He and I have been friends since the early 1960,s when were students at Mars Hill College. We fished together, hunted together, and played tennis together during our years at Mars Hill.

We seemed to stay in touch over the years. We experienced several things in common throughout the years .

He will be missed.

My prayers for comfort and peace are with the Webb family, particularly Leshia, one of my closest friends. Russell lived his life with faith in God, and was a kind, amusing, good-hearted, and hard working man that I had the privilege of knowing.

I’m so sad to learn today (Feb. 11, 2024) of Russ’s passing 5+ years ago. Russ was a good friend of mine in the 60’s, when I went to Merced High School, near Castle Air Force Base. He and I played tennis for hours on Merced’s courts at Applegate Park and Merced High, both North and East Campus. Boy was he fast, even in 110 degree weather! His black hair, brown eyes, and dark tan drew observers to marvel at his strong drive and walloping serve. His Southern drawl and the funny things he’d say made my family laugh! He, my dad and brothers would watch Dodger games on tv or play pingpong, in the blazing hot San Joaquin Valley weather. We always thought of Russ working on the engines of the B-52 bombers during the day. Why, those planes were so loud taking off, one every hour — sometimes one every 15 minutes! — they scared out-of-town guests who dove under tables and held their ears in fear! But, Mercedians would sit impatiently rolling their eyes to pick up conversations cut off by the deafening B-52 rumble that lasted a full minute! Castle Air Force Base is no longer there, but memories of the Viet Nam War can hit us Baby Boomers so hard we cry. We all loved the way Russ “tawked!” He knew it made us giggle. He’d stretch out his words in a drawl that even made my dad laugh! I remembered Russ tonight and decided to do a web search to try and find him. But the first entry listed revealed he’d passed away several years ago. Yet, reading the many wonderful memories of Russ’s family and friends made me know his life, since the war, was a really happy one. He shared laughs and love with so many! I remember once he told my family and me about his college days at Mars Hill University. One night after it snowed, Russ and his friends in the men’s dorm got a little tipsy and decided to strip off their jammies to the skin and wake up the girls! They circled all the way around the women’s dorm twice hootin’ and hollerin’ in the moonlight and in the raw, and twirling their white towels around like flags! He said they were laughing so hard freezing and crunching in the snow, they thought they’d die! He is the one person I know of who had a twinkle in his eye that always sparkled, and a toothy grin from ear to ear! And, he had ears you could be proud of! Thank you for this trip down Memory Lane, Russ, my dear friend. Those were the good ol’ days! Regards to the many who have left your remembrances here. And, Russ, save me a seat, will ya’?