John Russell Habighorst

Chief Master Sergeant Russ Habighorst passed away at his home on August 11, 2020. He was born on February 11, 1965, the son of Francis J. Habighorst and Betty C. Habighorst Hamlett.

A private committal and military service will be held at Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery near Little Falls, Minnesota at 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 19, 2020. The service will be livestreamed on the funeral home website. A Celebration of his Life will be held at the American Legion in Waite Park, MN following the service. Interment will take place at Graceland East Memorial Gardens in Simpsonville, SC.

Russ served as a medic for 24 years in the United States Air Force. He was in the Gulf and Iraq Wars. His last deployment was at a field hospital in Iraq in charge of a medivac unit out of San Antonio, TX.  During his service, Russ attained two associate degrees and a bachelor’s degree summa cum laude. After retirement from the Air Force, he earned an MBA with honors. He worked for several insurance companies as a statistics expert after Air Force retirement.

Russ loved spending time with his family, friends and pets. Some of his favorite things to do were boating on Clearwater Lake, attending the annual WeFest Country Music Festival, watching western and crime solving mystery movies, cooking, traveling and helping others.

He is survived by his wife, LeAnn Rummel of St. Cloud; his mother and step-father, Betty and Junior Hamlett of Woofdruff, SC; his beloved pets, Milo and Rocco; sisters, Karen (Steve) Rogers of Greenville, SC, Vicki (Steve) Acker of Spartanburg, SC and Alice Hill (partner, Ed Martinka) of Valley Mills, TX; beloved nephews, Nick Acker of Chicago, IL and Zach Tyler of Clifton, TX; beloved nieces, Sharon Scott of Greenville, SC, Kristin Mendenhall of Anderson, SC, Leah Acker of Spartanburg, SC, Lindsay Levy of McGregor, TX and Christie Miller of Pickens, SC and numerous great-nephews and great-nieces. Russ was preceded in death by his father, Francis J. Habighorst; and his brother, Charles F. Habighorst.

Memorials may be sent to Recovery Community Network or the Wounded Warrior Project, both supporting wounded veterans. Arrangements are entrusted with Dingmann Funeral Care Burial & Cremation Services of Annandale, Minnesota.

Obituary, Guestbook and Funeral Webcast online at www.dingmannfuneral.com

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