Russell Daniel Brown, 49, of Athens, VT, passed away on December, 22, 2022, due to recent health complications.

Russ was born September 27, 1973, in Townshend, VT, to Linda Jean (O’Neill) and Daniel Columbus Brown. Russ spent his youth living in Windham, county, and attended Leland and Gray High School where he enjoyed playing baseball and graduated in 1991. After high school, he spent time working at Stratton and for the Town of Windham before going to work for several local oil companies as a service technician and excelled in the field. In 2014, Russ ventured out on his own, opening Brown’s Oil Heating Service. The business took off and he expanded from installing and servicing oil furnaces and boilers to air duct cleaning and sanitizing.

Russ enjoyed hunting, boating, snowmobiling, camping and the company of his family and many friends. In his younger years, Russ enjoyed working on and racing cars, and working on cars with his dad. He was a very hard working family man with a great sense of humor. Russ was well known for his sense of humor and ability to pick on people, making them feel included. Russ’s love of animals began early in his life when his family adopted several rescue dogs. He especially loved his dogs, he loved a big, furry dog, (perhaps because they were the only ones who appreciated his singing abilities!) Russ had a big heart and loved to have fun. Though Russ had no children of his own, he was a role model who worked hard to help raise his stepson, Kaden and nephew, Nicholas and was a loving, supportive uncle to Evan and AnnaMarie.

Russell was predeceased by his mother, Linda Jean and grandparents, Guy and Lilliane Brown and Mary (Stewart) Wright and Hugh O’Neill. 

Russ is survived by many friends and his family, he was the loving son of Dan, who he has always been there for, his stepmother, Jeanne (Gigi) Brown, his devoted fiance, Angela Lashway, his stepson, Kaden Lashway, nephews, Nicholas Hall, and Evan Smith-Lake, and nieces, AnnaMarie Smith-Lake, Danielle 
Labrecque, and Hayley Labrecque, siblings, Tara (Jeff Martone) Brown of Brattleboro, Duane (Heather) Brown of Guilford, Tim (Vicky) Brown of Jamaica, Tammy Brooks of Townshend, Kim Ward of Brattleboro, and Todd (Melanie) Ward of Brattleboro and his fiance’s family, parents, Terry and Diane Lake and sister, Amber Lake.

Calling hours will be held at the Fenton and Hennessey Funeral Home, 55 Westminster Street, Bellows Falls, on Saturday, January 14 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM with burial and Celebration of Life to follow in the spring.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of the Fenton and Hennessey Funeral Home, in Bellows Falls, VT.