Russell B. Rawlins

Russell B. Rawlins, 60, passed away on Monday, June 18, 2007.

Mr. Rawlins was born on January 10, 1947 in Dodge County, Georgia to the late Austin and Bertha Rawlins. Russell was a proud veteran of the United States Army. Russell Rawlins was a “Maintenance Man” with a logistics mindset. He was a leader; he served his leadership with pride, and he brought pride to any organization he served. As Branch Chief he was instrumental in re-designing the workflow and changing the mindsets of workforce that brought about the delivery of 254 F-15s on time or ahead of schedule with no renegotiations. This was a first in the Air Force that hasn’t been repeated to date.

As much as he loved the F-15 team, he answered the call to help turn around an ailing C-130 fleet. It was a difficult move, but Russell stepped up to the plate. He applied the same Theory of Constraints toolset that proved so successful for F-15 depot maintenance to C-130 production with similar results. The on-time deliveries of C-130 aircraft restored the customer’s confidence, and restored the workforce pride in producing quality aircraft. He rapidly became a C-130 Gunship expert and the customer’s trusted “Go to Guy”.

When he retired from thirty eight years of civil service in 2004, he was quickly picked up by SSAI to insure the success of C-130 Combat Loss replacement (CLR) modification installations at Robins Air Force Base. His career change from production management to logistician was seamless. Russell was described as “the eyes and ears” for AFSOC assets for C-130 CLR, and only last week had been assured his association with SSAI would continue through 2012.

Russell Rawlins was a rare kind of friend. If you were Russell’s friend, your family was his family; your neighbor was his neighbor. He came through for his friends, his friends’ family, and his friends’ neighbors, whatever the need. He laughed when they laughed, toiled when they toiled, cried when they cried, and celebrated when they celebrated.

Most of all, Russell was a family man. He was a loving, protective husband and provider to Terrie. He was a wise and loving father to Amy and Leigh, and a true friend of his sons-in law, David and Steven. He was more than a grandfather to Blake, Dawson, Jack, Maddie, and eagerly anticipated the arrival of his newest grandson in August. He was a patient teacher, a mentor, and a coach. He was loving and generous, yet stern when he needed to be.

His latest source of pride was the recent adoption of their son, Gage, whom he loved so much. Russell talked to him, read to him, played with him, prayed with him. In a very short time, he has taught him much. He was “Daddy”, “Dod”, “Honey”, “Boss”, and “Friend”.

He will be missed by his wife, Terrie Rawlins, Warner Robins; his children, Amy Bonnette (Steven), Sharpsburg; Leigh Guest (David), Kathleen; Gage Rawlins, Warner Robins; brother, David Rawlins (Willie Belle), Eastman; sister, Peggy Stuckey (Rex), St. Petersburg, FL; mother-in-law, Virginia Newberry, sister-in-law, Sandra Martin (Howard), all of Macon; brother-in-law, David Williamson, Gray; grandchildren, Blake Mullis, Dawson Guest, Jack Bonnette, and Maddie Bonnette; and a host of loving friends.

Visitation will be Wednesday evening from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. at McCullough Funeral Home. Services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, in the chapel of McCullough Funeral Home with interment following in Macon Memorial Park Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made to the Gage C. Rawlins trust fund at Security Bank located at 302 Russell Parkway Warner Robins, Georgia 31088.



Funeral Home:
McCullough Funeral Home
417 S. Houston Lake Rd.
Warner Robins, GA
US 31088