Russell Dakin

Russell "Rusty" Dakin, 66, of Mounds, Ill., and former Pulaski County sheriff, passed away at 8:25 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18, 2011, at Southeast Hospital in Cape Girardeau.

Rusty was born in Cairo, Ill., Aug. 28, 1945, to the late William and Edith (Berry) Dakin.

He was a member of the Unity Baptist Church, attended the First Baptist Church in Mounds, a Vietnam Army Veteran and a lifetime member of the Pulaski County Memorial V.F.W. Post No. 8891 in Mounds, where he served as a past commander, quartermaster and chaplain. Rusty was also a lifetime member of the Illinois Sheriff's Association, member of the Caledonia Masonic Lodge No. 47AF/AM in Olive Branch, Ill., and a member of the American Legion.

Rusty was a former deputy for the Pulaski County Sheriff's Department, where he was Pulaski County sheriff from 1978 to 1986 and from 1999 to 2001, when he retired from the sheriff's department. Rusty was an employee with the Seiler's Bros. Farms in southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri.

Rusty was married to the former Emma G. Atherton on May 15, 1970, who survives.

Rusty was preceded in death by his parents; three sisters, Margaret Irene Godar, Dorothy L. Bernier and Edith E. Guild; and a brother, William A. Dakin.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter and son-in-law, Amy and Paul Martin of East Prairie, Mo.; two granddaughters, Mandy and Kaylee Martin; three sisters, Vivian Sheible of Mounds, Pearl Poole of Elco, Ill., and Virginia Holshouser of Vienna, Ill.; two brothers, Joseph Dakin of Tamms, Ill., and Roy Dakin of Mounds; several nieces and nephews; and many friends.

Funeral services for Rusty will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Jones Funeral Home in Villa Ridge, Ill., with the Revs. Buddy Walls and Tom Bridges officiating. Interment will follow in the Mound City National Cemetery with full military honors given by the Illinois National Guard Ritual Team and area veterans.

Friends may call between 4 and 8 p.m. Monday at the funeral home where a law enforcement walk-through will be held at 6:45 p.m. followed by Masonic Rites at 7 p.m. by members of the Caledonia Masonic Lodge No. 47 AF/AM.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of memorials to the Pulaski County Memorial VFW Post No. 8891, P.O. Box 116, Mounds, IL 62964 in memory of Rusty E. Dakin.

Jones Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.