Jul 6, 2019

Russell Gordon Farmer, 38, of Waynesburg, formerly of Mount Vernon, Ohio, passed away unexpectedly of natural causes Sunday, June 30, 2019, while on a family outing at Deep Creek Lake, Md.

He was a 2000 graduate of Mount Vernon High School and attended the College of Wooster, where he met his future wife, Beth, with whom he shared a special bond and partnership. He was a devoted dad and very involved father who worked from home as a title abstractor for many years.

Russ had a thirst for knowledge and an intense love of literature that he passed on to his daughters, reading to them daily the classics and helping them memorize poems at a very young age like “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost, and “Annabel Lee” and “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe. He really liked writing original poems with his girls.

Russ had a love of nature, creating paths, cultivating mushrooms, planting ginseng and hiking in the woods with his family. He was an avid gardener specializing in edibles, particularly berries and nut trees. He was patient and picked many blueberries, black raspberries and mulberries with his daughters.

An accomplished cook, Russ spent many hours creating meals from scratch with his family. He especially liked to make soups with his daughters to share with family. He thoroughly enjoyed traveling and dining out with his family, introducing the girls to sushi, raw oysters, black garlic and other unusual delicacies. Beth and Russ were committed to the same values as they began to raise their family. They were super excited about welcoming their new baby, due to arrive in December.

Starting as a child and through countless hours of practice, Russell became an accomplished musician. He played the piano daily and gathered a collection of stringed and percussion instruments, which he also played frequently. He was very interested in tracing his heritage through genealogy and completing the family tree.

Surviving are his wife, Elizabeth A. Hook (wed 2011); his daughters, Lillian Michele Farmer (age 5) and Adeline Grace Farmer (age 3), both at home; his parents, Michael E. and Jennifer Kilmer Farmer; two brothers, Hans Michael Farmer and Mackenzie J. Farmer; and his paternal grandmother, Peggy Farmer, all of of Mount Vernon. Deceased are his paternal grandfather, Ernest P. Farmer; and his maternal grandparents, Gordon Lawrence Kilmer and Irene S. Kilmer Ufferman.

A celebration of life will take place from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 13, at 5 South Gay Street, Mount Vernon, Ohio. Bring your favorite memory of your time with Russell so the family can create a memory book for his children.

The family suggests that memorial contributions be made to the Russell G. Farmer Memorial Fund, c/o any PNC Bank Branch, or the Bowlby Library Children’s Program in Waynesburg. For additional information and to sign a guest book, visit www.YoskovichFH.com.