Russell Gooch Bartow, 88, Springfield, MO passed away on Monday, February 24, 2014. Russell was born March 14, 1925 in Linn County near Browning, Missouri to Thomas Isaac and Almeda Gooch Bartow. He attended a one room country school through the eighth grade and was a graduate of Browning High School Class of 1942. He attended the University of Missouri-Kansas City and in 1943 joined the US Merchant Marine, serving in WWII. After military service, Russell began a long and successful career in retailing holding several executive positions with various retail companies which brought him to Springfield from California in 1975. While living in California he served on the Board of the California Retailers Association and also as a Director for the Southern California Visitor's Council. Russell's final retirement was in 1992, but he still remained active in farming. He was a member of First and Calvary Presbyterian Church. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his sister, Lola Rae Carter and brothers, Gale T. Bartow and B. Gene Bartow. Russell was married to Majorie Ruth West on June 24, 1951 in Brookfield, Missouri. He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; son, Jeffery West Bartow and wife Adrianna, Chicago, IL; daughters, Sally Ann Bartow and husband Patrick Avery McKee, Mercer Island, WA and Silver Lake, CA, and Susan Melissa Bartow, Pasadena, CA; grandchildren, Anna Bartow, M.D. and husband Will Durham, Asheville, NC, Madeline McKee and husband Matthew Beasley, Washington, DC, and Mary Caroline Mckee, Berkeley, CA; great-grandchildren, Mary Eloise and Samuel Durham; and several nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be Friday, February 28, 2014 at 10:30am in Gorman-Scharpf Brentwood Chapel, with The Reverend Dr. Andrew Chaney officiating. Burial will be in Rosehill Cemetery, Brookfield, MO on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Humane Society of Southwest Missouri, 3161 W. Norton Rd., Springfield, MO 65803.