Services for Elijah “Happy” Russell Sr. will be at noon Saturday at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home with Bishop Richard Lance officiating. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be from noon until 6 p.m. Friday at the funeral home with family present from 5 until 6.

Mr. Russell, a Vicksburg resident, died Tuesday, April 10, 2012, at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta. He was 77.

Born in Vicksburg, he attended Bovina schools and was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a machine operator for Caterpillar for more than 25 years.

He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Hazel Russell; two daughters; four sisters; and five brothers.

He is survived by his wife of 27 years, Ida Russell of Vicksburg; two daughters, Angela Suggs and Keisha Brock of Aurora, Ill.; two stepdaughters, Kathy Holden and Kristina Holden of Vicksburg; four sons, Elijah Russell Jr. of New Albany, Kenneth Russell of Atlanta, Richard Edward of Aurora and Michael Blake of Milwaukee; three stepsons, Reggie Miller of Tupelo, and Tyrone Holden and Dwayne Holden, both of Vicksburg; two sisters, Genneicie Williams of Aurora and Charity Russell of Kewanee, Ill.; 25 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.