Russell Darnell Austin, Sr. was born on December 14, 1951, in Springfield, Tennessee to Della Mae Dowlen-Austin and the late Charles Russell Austin. He was the second oldest out of their five children. Della and Charles relocated to Cleveland, Ohio.

Russell was also known as Bubba. He graduated from John F. Kennedy in 1971. Soon, after he grad­uated, he joined the Army and married his first wife, the late Wanda Johnson. During Russell’s time in the service, he became a diesel me­chanic, and also a Muslim being known as Zaid to many of his friends and family. Bubba also started his boxing career around this time and received the boxing Golden Glove award shortly after coming home from the service.

He worked for the Regional Transit Authority (RTA) for many years. Soon, Bubba met his second wife and mother of his four children, Tammy Weems. In 2016, he was baptized and became a member of Mt. Zion Church of Oakwood. Peo­ple didn’t know but Bubba had been battling with Cancer for years. We, the family, and his partner, Nicole, who was by his side through everything, knew he was fighting cancer but in our eyes, it was nothing that could slow him down! On July 7, 2023, he looked up and said I’m tired and all of us knew that we had never seen him tired, he was always on the go. But on July 7, 2023, he peacefully slipped away. He leaves to cherish his memories his mother, Della Dowlen Austin; his four siblings: Charlie Hudson, Wendy Austin Fitzgerald, Michael Austin (Estelle), and Tracy Austin (Kim); his four children: Tamkia Aus­tin Fawole (Samson), Toccara Austin, Russell Austin Jr. (Kasandra), and Tina Austin (Damion); his life -long partner, Nicole Scyoc; fourteen grandchil­dren: Kristina Hodge, Narvell Brown, KeAsia Houston, Lanijah Austin, Mariana Richarson, Maurice Richardson Jr., Mateya Richardson, Dyor Houston, Delilah Austin, Jada- Michelle Austin, Russell Austin III, Amika Austin, Mykhol Greene, Erny Austin; 2 great grands and a host of niec­es, nephews, and cousins.

He will be missed, but NEVER forgotten!