Hey guys. This will probably get a little long on my part. This is something I’ve never had to do so please bear with me. I'll do my best.

Per Joanie's request,, here goes;

Russ ,,aka RSCAR,, was called home sometime after 4:30 AM today. He had undergone a tedious neck surgery Tuesday AM & was doing fine last night at 8:30PM when Ms Joanie went home for the evening. The staff had him up & walking around at 12:30 last night & said that “he felt good,, but tired.” They put him back in bed & gave him his pain medication. At 3:AM today they checked his vitals & he was sleeping so sound that he was snoring & didn’t wake up. At 4:30 AM he was still asleep & snoring when the staff looked in on him. Around 7AM they went to give him his medication again & to get him up for the day & he was gone. In his sleep. Quiet & easy which is definitely not Russ-like if you will. There was no sign of struggle or any movement on his part at all. He just never woke up. He would have been home today. Just 2 days after a successful surgery.

I’m gonna miss him bad guys!! In such a short period of time on the internet & after a few phone calls we were best friends. He was one of those guys that you could talk to about anything,, & we usually did. I feel fortunate to have met him & spend a weekend together. The only difference between talking to Russ in person & on the phone or the internet was the fact that no matter how hard he tried,, he couldn’t hug you. Russ didn’t mind giving his friends a big hug. It’s just the way he was.

Diane & I were going to visit the KOG { Kindly Older Gentleman}& Ms Joanie over Memorial day weekend. I guess we’ll have to just visit Joanie & she can take us to Russ to say Good Bye.

Russ leaves behind a wonderful caring woman,, Joanie & his two “boys” Bruno & Rudy. They are 2 very good, loving Rottweilers. He has also left behind an awful lot of friends that will miss him for a very long time. Myself included.

Good Bye RSCAR!!

Diane & I miss you already & I Loved you like a brother!! Peace Be with you My Friend.

Friends Are Friends By Nature!! I knew it & he knew it. I guarantee it’s true.

Thanks for your time. I appreciate it.

I will follow up when I hear anything else.

Glen

Here's Ruger & Bruno. Ruger passed away about 18 months ago. I bet they are playing right now!!

He will truly be missed.

Dang.....That's tough to hear.

I remember thinking this guy is a real character just from reading his home-spun tales that he unleashed here every once in awhile. I'm sure meeting him in real life would have been a real pleasure.

May God bless him and his wife.... They'll be in our prayers tonight....

Thanks for sharing the information, Glen.

-BCB

We are saddened to learn of the passing of one of Our Own here on the Varminter Forum. Russ was one of the guys I admired while "lurking" in anticipation of becoming a member. His wit, coupled with a superlative knowledge of the shooting sports earned RSCAR high standing to many of us. We are diminished with his loss.

Doubtless, this is an extremely tough time for Joanie and our thoughts and prayers are extended towards her.

Might be a good time for all of us to reflect on the fact that we are not promised tomorrow and only what we do Today matters. With this in mind, now would be a great time to tell someone you love, just that.

If everyone on this forum would reply on this thread and someone with Russ's address could "collect" the posts and mail them to Joanie, it may help assuage her sorrow.

Miss ya, Russ

God Bless

Bob (The Skypilot)

I was so saddened when I heard of this. Glen called me and I knew something was up, but nothing could have prepared me for this. Russ was a great guy, with TONS of information and always willing to give it up. He was one of those guys who you knew was as real on the internet, as he was in real life. Most of his posts ended with either a or a , which tells you a lot about a guy when you read his posts.

I suggest to everyone, take some time and read his posts. You will walk away with a smile on your face, but probably an ache in your heart over who we've lost.

My heart goes out to his wife and loved ones...

Russ, you will be sorely missed around here. You were one hell of a good guy and I didn't say it enough!!

Your friend,

Eric A. Mayer

btw, I will be printing this thread out and mailing it to Joanie. If you want to include a sympathy card, please feel free to mail it to me at the following address. I will make sure it gets forwarded to her as well.

Eric A. Mayer
PO Box 452507
Los Angeles, CA 90045-2507

Very saddened to hear that news. Russ will be missed.

Thanks for putting that together Eric. I know Joanie will certainly appreciate it.

Very sad news but thanks for passing it along, Glen. I’ll keep Russ and Joanie in my prayers. I can’t even imagine how difficult this must be for her.

I’m really going to miss Russ and his Urban Varminter stories.

Flowers can be ordered from here.

http://flowersondemand.com/cart/index.php

Very sorry to hear this news, although I'm pleased for him that it was peaceful rather than painful and traumatic. Very sad.

I'm saying a prayer now whilst I think about it as I'm not as good in that respect as I could hope to be.

I think the value of a community on line (as anywhere) is added to or detracted from by the quality of the people concerned. RSCAR will be missed.

God bless you Russ. You will be remembered and missed by everyone of us and those that had the good fortune to cross your path.

Regards,
Wayne

if i had to go that would be the way i would want to.....god speed....RIP RSCAR

Very sorry to hear that. I have spoken/text him many times over the years. One of those 'good guys' and he will be missed.

very sorry to hear this, prayers go to his family.

My prayers to his family & friends.

God speed RSCAR our prayers to his family & friends
Doug

I received a phone call today from a member and found out about the loss of this wonderful friend. I was unaware of it having not been on the net for a few days. I met Russ through this site and also became friends through the PM's and e-mails. I'll miss his posts on the site and jokes through e-mails I received from time to time. He was quite the man and loved the young ones. My boy received a package in the mail a year or so ago from Russ that is framed and on his bedroom wall. Along with the print of the Lone Ranger and Tonto was a letter to my boy. I'll be sure that it stays in the frame along with the print and that they are both well taken care of.

Joanie, I am sorry about your loss of this wonderful man. He will be missed but, not forgotten by this little family in New Mexico.

Rocky, Ross, Julie, and Jalie

Sorry to hear about this,going to miss his replies and his sense of humor,God Bless RSCAR



SJF,

I am too new to the forum to know him, but he sounds like a person we should all be grateful to have had on this earth. My condolences to the family, he is in a better place and may we all meet him face to face someday.

Wow. I'm sorry to hear that. God bless his family.

It just goes to show you, gentlemen, life is short, even if you live to 90 years old. It's times like this that makes me apreciate the miracle of Internet that brings us together.

If I may, I'd like to propose a thread cosisting of his posts. It could be our way of memorialising our friend, and would stand as a virtial legacy.
NBC

RSCAR was solid, always posting with advice and good humor.

You will be missed.

My condolences to Joanie and all his close friends and family on this site and everywhere.

Jim

Count your age by friends, not years
Count your life by smiles, not tears

I for one am going to miss Russ. I may have been one of the few on this forum who knew him personally.
He was a great friend and inspiration. He would give you the shirt of his back in the true sense of the meaning. I shot with Russ on several occassions, met him in Carlisle, PA last summer for the Corvette show.
I will truely miss him. Peace be with you Russ,

Jeff

We shared some MN roadtrip stories as well as hotrod chat through a couple late-night pm sessions while I was up doing research for poli sci papers. That guy knew alot about just about anything! About the only thing I really ever found fault with him is that he thought his souped up vette could beat my pinto . . . I SSSOOOOOO was hoping to arrange a race here in the Great White North and hear him say "Why you little sh!t" at the finish line.

I been going to college full-time for the last 6 years and towards the end of the year I been getting more and more sick of it; thinking of maybe just saying a 4yr degree was enough. But then I'd catch R on line and we'd chat a bit and he'd pick me up with his encouragement and give me a little boost when I needed it.


All in all I'm really gonna miss that guy. He was a good kid.



-Flatlander




*One halarious memory with the pic with R's vette and 'Tony' after their bobcat roadhunt . . .

RIP RASCA
Memories live forever

ive been on this sight for quite sometime. RSCAR was one of the repected ones. i have posted back and forth with him as well as chatted online many of times. Russ is on my email list of friends and he will be missed. may God be with him and Joanie in this time of sorrow. Kelly

Wow, what a shock! Glen just told me today. I feel a little wierd posting as I don't get here often, but Joanie, Glen, & the rest of you fine members have my deepest sympathy at your lost, but God's gain.

RSCAR: As if you don't already know - You were truely loved!

Well, its taken a couple days since i heard the news to bring myself to even do this. Russ, I'm going to miss you. We shared many private e-mails and stories. Stories of the need for a good woman, good friends and a good dog. He had and loved all three. We talked of good whiskey, fine rifles and a good cigar now and then. He sent me a bottle of Makers Mark. I had a sip of it the other night when I heard the news. I looked forward to the day he made his visit to Nebraska, I'd show him our sun sets and my triplet grand kids. I will miss you old friend. God rest your soul.
Mark

There were several suggestions that we print this thread & send it to Russ' Wife Joanie. I did just that. It is in a nice folder. The front page looks like this.



The last page reads:

"Russell cherished many things in his life.

And here is the one thing that he cherished more than all the rest combined"

Thanks Glen...I learned alot about Varminter-Com tonight while reading through this thread. What a wonderful man and I hope Joanie is doing well. I had noticed, but never read the RSCAR for kids forum. I figured it had something to do with nascar or racing in which I have no interest. Boy was I mistaken! Do you have any of your pens left. I'd like to be at least a part of such a worthy cause. Thanks for what you guys do!

Hi Mike. I don't have the exact same pen but I do have some that I would gladly donate to the Fund with. They are in the For Sale Forum here.

Joanie is doing real good. She's a strong woman with the entire town helping her. We talk every month or so too. Thanks for asking. I'll tell her your kind words about Russ & your thoughts.

There are 5 to choose from here. Let me know if any of these interest you. Otherwise I can make one up.

http://www.varminter.com/forums/index.php?...mp;#entry108389

Thanks!!

Thanks Glen. How about one of your "Buckeye Burl with Gold trimwork & a rifle clip with double roll center band. Go Buckeyes!!" ....Almost sounds like Ralphie in "A Christmas Story" asking for his "official Red Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle, with a compass in the stock" It sounds cool and since I'm actually a dislocated buckeye, it would be extra cool
If none available...just pick out a purdy one with a rifle clip and it will do nicely. Tell me where to send payment and I'll get it out ASAP...Thanks Glen

PM sent!!

Im very sorry to hear such loved man has gone. May GOD bless his family and everyone who loved him.

It maybe late for me to print this now, but here goes. Russ was one whom I butted heads with 1st when I joined this site in its original format, and was one in the end to admire for his absolute take no prisoners forthright attitude. When I finally make it over to the good ole US of A I had him as one person to visit on my itinery. Now he teaches me another lesson that on cant wait to do what they say, because you never know when your time is up. Semper Fi ole buddy and condolences to Joanie on this a sad loss for all who new or loved him.