HENRYETTA, OKLA. – Daniel M. “Dan” Russell passed away from a heart attack at his home near Henryetta, Oklahoma on Dec. 29, 2013. He was born March 13, 1952, in Sacramento, Calif.
Dan, known as “Big Dan” or “Danny” by many family members and friends, grew up on the family ranch near Folsom, Calif. He became involved in the family livestock ranching business as a child, which continued throughout his life.
The Russell ranching legacy goes back to the time of the Civil War when a Union Calvary General named D.A. Russell came to the area from Illinois to make his new home. At that time the area was smitten with gold fever. When General Russell died he was buried in a cemetery that would eventually be where Folsom Lake is now. Before the lake was filled bodies of people buried in the cemetery were relocated to Morman Island.
General Russell had two sons, D.A. and Jack. As a youngster D.A. was a bucking horse rider, long before rodeos were held in arenas, and Jack was the one who handled the bets. D.A. eventually went into the meat business in Colfax, supplied meat to the Southern Pacific Railroad as well as the gold country, ended up owning 2 or 3 banks, and was president of Placer County Bank which later was purchased by Bank of America. Jack had vast holdings in lime deposits and became a very successful businessman in cement production.
D.A.’s son Melvin (Dan’s grandfather) developed the home ranch in the Folsom area just off of Scott Road, and expanded it all the way to Hwy 50. In those days grazing land was $45 per acre, and dredge land was $2.50 per acre.
After Melvin passed away in 1954 his son Dan H. Russell (Dan’s father) expanded the Russell livestock ranching operation to be one of the largest cattle operations in the U.S., with operations in California, Nevada and Wyoming. Dan H. started the rodeo business in the 1960s, and designed the Folsom Arena which was eventually named after him.
Dan’s widely respected Western Rodeos has been one of the best known rodeo stock contracting companies, producing outstanding stock for rodeo events throughout the nation. The rodeo community gave special recognition to his rodeo stock on several occasions, including the coveted bucking bull of the year honors five times for Pacific Bell (three times), Trick or Treat, and Grasshopper.
In 2002, Dan moved the livestock operation headquarters to Henryetta, Okla., where he continued raising outstanding bucking stock that was supplied to numerous rodeos.
Dan had a vast amount of experience handling difficult ranching and rodeo livestock, and he was well known for frequently offering robust spontaneous and enthusiastic on-the-spot encouragement for others to immediately improve their livestock handling skills.
Dan dearly loved his children and his sisters, and he always had a sparkle in his eye when talking about his grandchildren. Dan loved the people of the ranching and rodeo community who were like a second family to him. He also loved the excitement of rodeos, being on the road toward next rodeo events, his good dogs, and his good horses. The ranching and rodeo world has lost a great contributor and a genuine friend.
Dan was preceded in death by his mother (Geraldine Bowers Russell), his father (Daniel H. Russell), and his previous wife (Esther, mother of his children).
Dan is survived by his wife and companion of many years, Linda Ament Russell; a son, Daniel James Russell and his wife Elizabeth and two grandchildren Mason and Cooper of Placerville, Calif.; a daughter, Tanya Joy Russell of Elk Grove, Calif.; three sisters, Gail Phillips of Elko, Nev., Diane Russell-Pavey and her husband Ralph of Wilton, Calif., and Linda Catlett and her husband Ron of Carson City, Nev.; numerous other family members, good friends and his extended family in the ranching and rodeo industries.
Because Dan’s circle of friends is so large, two celebration of life memorial services were held; Jan. 10 in Henryetta, Okla., and Feb. 1 at the Grange Hall in Orangevale, Calif.
Daniel Melvin Russell