Russell J. Urbanski

Russell J. Urbanski, 54, of St. Paul, died unexpectedly Saturday, April 16, 2011, at his home. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Ray Kosmicki will officiate. Burial will be in the Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m. at the church, with a 7 p.m. vigil service and Knights of Columbus rosary. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is in charge of arrangements. Mr. Urbanski was born on March 17, 1957, at Ord, the son of James S. and JoAnn A. (Woitalewicz) Urbanski. He is survived by his wife, Susann Urbanski of St. Paul; sons, James and Jaime Urbanski of St. Paul, Jessie Urbanski and Heather Wissing of St. Paul, Ben and Kyla Friedrichsen of Palmer, Casey Dennhardt of St. Paul and Josh and Lindy Dennhardt of Aurora; his mother, JoAnn Urbanski and her special friend, Roger Finnigsmier of St. Paul; his sisters and brothers-in-law, Virginia and Bob Schenck of St. Paul and Brenda and Ted Raile of Fairmont. He is also survived by his mother-in-law, Jeannette Harvey of St. Paul; and seven grandchildren, Ashlyn Urbanski, Austin Urbanski, Toby Urbanski, Harley Jones, Blaze Jones, Brady Dennhardt and Tagen Dennhardt. As a child Russ moved to Loup City with his family where he began his education in Loup City Public Schools. The family later moved to Wisner and then to St. Paul in 1971. He was a 1975 graduate of S t. Paul High School. He was united in marriage to Jackie Papst on May 22, 1976, in St. Paul and he later married Susann Harvey on March 26, 1996, at York. In 1971, when Russ was 14 years old, the family began Jim’s Truck Stop in St. Paul, where he has worked everyday for the past 40 years. Russ was a member of Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus Council 1918, of which he was a former Grand Knight. He was also a member of Pheasants Forever and the St. Paul Country Club. He enjoyed golfing, bowling, playing pool, playing cards, driving in demolition derbies, snowmobiling, and family gatherings. His favorite thing in life was to camp and fish with his boys at his cabin on Chad’s Lake near St. Paul. He was preceded in death by his father; grandparents, Steve and Alice Urbanski, Bill and Venice Woitalewicz; and his father-in-law, Bill Harvey. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the family’s choice.