Russell Edward Kappes of Greenbush, MN went home to meet his Lord on October 23, 2026, at the age of 92. He is leaving behind a great legacy of family, faith, and unending love.

Russell was born on August 14, 1934, on a farmstead between Ada and Borup, MN. He was the third of eleven children born to Florence (Boerger) & Louis A Kappes. He graduated from Borup High School. A few years after high school, he enlisted in the United States Army and proudly served his country during the Korean War.

After the service, Russell purchased the original farm in Borup, MN. During the next few decades, he was an avid farmer, pretty much trying anything and everything, from raising dairy and beef cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, geese, chickens, and horses… Of all of these, horses were always his favorite. In the early 1970s, Russ balanced farming with a career at the Felton Elevator, where he spent 17 years working with fertilizer, soil sampling, and grain operations. Many of his children have cherished memories of riding in the “Big A” while visiting him at work, a simple pleasure that became a treasured part of their childhood.

The most important parts of Russ’s life were his faith and his family. Ironically enough, Russ and Inez first met when Inez was a teenager and her nephew was baptized with Russ as his Godfather. Later on, Russ was set up on a blind date with his future wife, Inez Smith in May of 1961. The blind date led them to connect and fall in love. They were united in marriage at St Rose of Lima Church in Hillsboro, ND, on April 28, 1962. To this union, Russ and Inez were blessed with one son and six daughters. Their extended family grew over the years to thirty-two grandchildren, fifty-three great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren. What an incredible legacy of love he has left us all with. This is a testament to the love and faithfulness that Russ and Inez have shown their family over sixty-four and a half years of marriage.

In the early 90s, Russ and family moved to Greenbush, MN, and he started working at Marvin Windows. He retired in 1998 and shifted his focus to his passions of gardening and taking care of their hobby farm. This is the place where many of the memories his children and grandchildren will cherish forever were made. He pretty much could have filled Noah’s Ark with his various animals and kept the whole crew fed with the crops from his giant garden year after year. This garden would produce bountiful yields, as Russ truly had a green thumb and could grow anything he planted with ease, including flowers and vegetables. He would also accidentally plant his hearing aids, glasses, and dentures, but frustratingly enough to Inez, only once did a pair of glasses surface above ground once they were planted.

As the grandkids continued to multiply, it was not an uncommon sight to have a pile of them sitting on his lap or a small line of them following him around the farmyard as he was out doing his daily chores. The love he had for all those around him was easily seen and felt.

Outside of being a very proud veteran, Russell’s contributions to his community included nine years on the Borup school board, being a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus, a lifetime member of the Ada VFW, a member of the Greenbush Legion, and he showed his dedication to church by being an usher and serving communion to his parents. His faith and service showed in everything he did.

Some of his other hobbies included hunting, fishing, dancing, reading, puzzles, playing his electronic solitaire game, and he mastered the therapeutic art of coloring later in life. It was also worth noting that he loved green grapes more than any other food.

There are so many memories that everyone will cherish about Russell. He was a man of faith and dedication. He loved sports and enjoyed playing football. He shared stories of his senior year lettering for both Borup and Ada high school’s football teams. He attended as many activities as work would allow for all his kids and grandkids. He was an avid Minnesota sports fan.

Russ is survived by his loving wife, Inez (Smith) Kappes; his son, Russell I Kappes; his six daughters, Denise (Jerry/Bucky) Hall, Jennifer (Manuel/Alex) Garcia, Rebecca (Warren Yeager), Charlotte (Brian) Pelzman, Sandra (Robert) Crain, and Nicole (Jedediah) Geer; grandchildren, Phylicia Welch, Matthew Kappes, Tim and Tony Merkens, Chris Nirschl, Shannon (Kevin) Wescott, Gretchen (Chad) Flink, Jarret and Josh Hall, Janna (Matthew) Henkel, Tyler (Ashley) Kutcka, Emily Kutcka, Manny, Lilliana, Teresa and Ruby Garcia, Breanna (Josh) Harvey, Alex (Lindsey) Yeager, CeCeilia (Noah) Estes, Brandon Nepstad, Alaina Trostrup, Dexter Pelzman, Zach (Katie) Pelzman, Gabi Crain, Ryan (Alex) Crain, Chase, Karissa and Adria Geer; great grandchildren, Amilia Lillehaugen, Alyssia, and Alexa Welch, Nicholas Sogge, Kaitlyne Salinas, Matthew Jr, and Paige Kappes, Russell Lee, Oliver and Coral Erickson, Jasmine, TJ, Cassandra, Meadow, Winter and Klaus Merkins, Madeline Hall, Aurora Erstad, Dominick, Grace, Lexi, Braxton and Caleb Flink, Everett Hall, Taylor and Morgan Gunderson, Kaci and Devin Westcott, Ava and Jordyn Hall, Olivia and Colt Dejno, Hadleigh and Beckett Olson, Brooklyn Kutcka, Penelope, Leopold and Isadora Yeager, Emma-Joe Estes, Kaylee Harvey, Ayla Gislason, Crystal Hawk, Mollie, Ashtyn, Nicholas and Elizabeth Nepstad, Kyra and Kora Trostrup, Porter and Theo Pelzman, and Kaleb Crain; great-great grandchildren, Layton Johnson, Evelyn and Raelynn Safar; his siblings, Norbert Kappes, Chet (Barb) Kappes, Louie (Laurie) Kappes, Dianne (Terry) Patterson, Janie (Tony) Bauer, and Benno Kappes, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lou and Florence Kappes; his mother and father, in law Morris and Signe Smith, his grandchildren: Melanie Hall, Hillary, Jonathan, and Troy Kappes, his sibling/in-laws: Virgil Kappes, Lula Kappes, Evelyn Kappes, Billy Dean Andrews, James Kappes, Vernon (Marian) Kappes, Marcella Kappes, Nicholas Kappes, Palmer (Dorothy) Smith, Peggy Smith, Fred (Caroline)Smith, and Hazel (Ray) Riepe.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, November 4 at 11:00 a.m. at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Greenbush, MN, with visitation for an hour prior in the church. Visitation will also be held in the church on Tuesday, November 3 from 6:00-8:00 p.m., with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 p.m. Interment will be in Blessed Sacrament Cemetery in Greenbush, MN.