Gregory Russ Obituary

Gregory Brian Russ, 54, passed away suddenly on Saturday, July 5, 2025, at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville, Illinois. He was born July 14, 1970, in Chicago Heights, Illinois, and was a long-time resident of Mundelein. A 1988 graduate of Mundelein High School, he played on the tennis and golf teams. Greg was a proud member of the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, where he received his bachelor's degree in marketing in 1992. In his younger years, Greg competed in competitive waterskiing tournaments and won first place in the 1991 Illinois Men's novice ski jumping competition. After college, he held a variety of sales positions in California, Colorado, and Illinois. Most recently, he was a sales representative at Service Experts, a beloved bartender at Downing's Tavern in Libertyville, and a lector at St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Parish in Mundelein. Proud dad that he was, Greg will be remembered as the most wonderful and involved father, rarely missing a game, and coaching all the sports that he could for his children's teams, including T-ball, soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. He enjoyed golfing, trivia, audio books, cooking, entertaining, and laughing at his own dad jokes. A true Chicago sports fan, he endured many long seasons, rooting for the Sox and Da Bears. He will be dearly missed by his family and by all who knew him.
Greg is survived by his loving wife of 22 years, Colleen (nee Downing) Russ; adoring children, Margaret "Maggie," Thomas "Tom," and Bridget Russ; parents, Steve and Kathy Russ; a sister, Diane (Bryan McGlothin) Cato, and by numerous brothers- and sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins, dear friends, and devoted family dog, Josie. He was preceded in death by his parents-in-law, Ann and Russ Downing.
A visitation will be held from 3:00 to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, July 10, 2025, at Burnett-Dane Funeral Home, 120 W. Park Ave. (Rt. 176, one block west of Milwaukee Ave.) in Libertyville. A visitation will also be held Saturday, July 12, 2025, at St. Mary of the Annunciation Church, 22333 Erhart Rd. in Mundelein at 9:00 a.m., followed by mass at 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation made out to Colleen Russ to be used as an education fund for his children. For more information on the donation process, please call 847-362-3009. You may share a memory at www.burnettdane.com.