David “Russ” McCracken, 87, of School Street, Rixford, passed away Tuesday (Jan. 6, 2026) at Bradford Manor.

Born May 22, 1938, in Sayre, he was a son of the late Warren and Frances Stedge McCracken. Warren died and Frances remarried Ralph Deitz, who raised Russ.

Russ attended Sayre High School. He joined the U.S. Navy on Dec. 21, 1962, where he received his GED. He served in Korea and Vietnam. He was honorably discharged on Jan. 8, 1965.

On Aug. 12, 1961, at the Church of the Epiphany Rectory in Sayre, he married Alice V. Norton McCracken, who passed away May 21, 2021.

Russ worked at Ingersoll Rand Corp. in Athens, and then as a supervisor at Stowe Manufacturing in Binghamton, N.Y. After he retired, he and his wife moved to Rixford to reside near their daughter. In his retirement he delivered tires for Stoney North. He also truly enjoyed singing and rebuilding small engines and tractors.

Russ was a member of J.E. Wheelock Hose Co., the American Legion in Sayre, Halstead, where he was a Past Tri County Commander, and Eldred, where he held different offices. He was a member of the Eldred VFW, and a former member of the Eagles Club of Bradford.

Surviving are one daughter, Kathleen (A.J.) Curtis of Duke Center; his cherished grandchildren, Dan (Angela) Sullivan of RIxford and Mary (Trevor) Dowell of RIxford; and one great-granddaughter, his precious “Little Alice Kathleen” Dowell of Rixford; one sister, Janet (David) Fortune of Athens; one brother, LeRoy Hurd in North Carolina; and several nieces and nephews.

Friends are invited to attend a celebration of Russ’s life at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, at Rixford Evangelical Church with the Rev. Mike Rex officiating. Burial will be in Tioga Point Cemetery in Athens.

Funeral arrangements are under direction of Hollenbeck-Cahill Funeral Homes Inc. Online condolences may be expressed at hollennbeckcahill.com.