Russell Churchwell Crowell died Friday, Dec. 20, at his home. He was born Nov. 23, 1922, in Lincolnton, the son of William W. Crowell and Lillian Spencer Crowell. He was reared in Oxford. He joined the Navy as an aviation cadet in June 1942. He was sent to the Navy Pre-Flight School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and from there to Primary Flight School in Hutchinson, Kan., and then to Corpus Christy, Texas, for Advance Flight School, where he graduated and received his gold wings in July 1943. At that time, he was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. His combat tour of duty took place in the South Pacific flying fighter aircraft from Bougainville, Green Island and Emirau Island. For his combat service, he was awarded three Distinguished Flying Crosses and 11 Air Medals. Upon separation from the Marine Corps at the end of World War II, he attended N.C. State University and subsequently located in Fayetteville, where he entered the life-insurance business. He received the Chartered Life Underwriter designation in 1964. During his career, he served as president of the North Carolina Association of Life Underwriters, as well as president of the Raleigh-Durham, Fayetteville and Southeastern N.C. chapters of the American Society of CLUs and ChFCs. In 1967, he was recognized by his peers as the North Carolina Life Underwriter of the Year. He also served as president of Provident Mutual Life Insurance Co.'s Leaders Association, a national association of its leading agents. His civic activities included serving as president of the Fayetteville Rotary Club; chairman of the Fayetteville Airport Commission; chairman, administrative board, Haymount United Methodist Church; and on the Fayetteville State University board of trustees. He is survived by his wife, the former Jean Peal of Chadbourn, and two daughters, Jean Crowell Clark of Raleigh and Patricia Crowell Everett and husband, Richard, of Fayetteville. He has four grandsons, Russell M. Clark and Reid S. Clark of Raleigh and Will and Scott Warner of Fayetteville; and two great-granddaughters, Caroline and Charlotte Clark. Services will be held at Haymount United Methodist Church at 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23, 2013, with the Rev. Dennis Goodwin and the Rev. Scott Foster officiating. A private burial will be in Lafayette Memorial Park at a later date. In lieu of flowers, if one wishes to make a remembrance gift, such can be made to Haymount United Methodist Church, 1700 Fort Bragg Road, Fayetteville, NC 28303 or to one's charity of choice. Family will receive friends in the commons room at the church Monday, Dec. 23, 2013, from 1 to 2 p.m.Services will be held at Haymount United Methodist Church at 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 23, 2013, with the Rev. Dennis Goodwin and the Rev. Scott Foster officiating. A private burial will be in Lafayette Memorial Park at a later date.