Leonard H. Russon

Our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Leonard Harrington Russon, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on July 29, 2023. He was born in American Fork, Utah on May 15, 1933, the youngest of four sons of Jesse Leroy Russon and Ione Smith Russon. When he was 6 months old, the family moved to Salt Lake City where he attended school and graduated from East High School.  After high school, he joined the Navy and served as a radioman during the Korean War on the destroyer Cassin Young in the Mediterranean.  When he was released from the Navy, he attended the University of Utah before becoming a church representative in Great Britain from 1956-1958. He returned to Salt Lake City and to the University of Utah where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1959 and a Juris Doctor in 1962. 

His professional accomplishments are extensive in the legal community. He began his legal career as a defense attorney in 1963.  Over the next 20 years Leonard would argue cases in every court, finishing his time in private practice as senior partner at Hanson, Russon, Hanson & Dunn. He was appointed as a Judge to the Third District Court in 1984 where he served until his appointment to the Utah Court of Appeals in 1990.  He was appointed as a Justice to the Utah Supreme Court in 1994 where he served until his retirement on May 15, 2003. Leonard was one of a rare few to be appointed by three different Governors to the three courts.  He was a member of the Utah State Bar, California State Bar and was inducted into the prestigious American College of Trial Lawyers.

While attending the University of Utah in 1959, he met the “little blonde-haired love of his life”, Alene Martindale. The two were married in 1961 and had three children, Barton, Adrienne and Jennifer.  His favorite times were always centered around family. He enjoyed sailing trips through the Caribbean and Bahamas, family trips to Newport Beach, traveling the world with Alene and weekly breakfast with his grandkids.  He became an avid runner, running the Bay to Breakers race in San Francisco for three consecutive years and many local races representing the Utah State Bar and his law firm. While his passing leaves an emptiness in our family, we will always feel his love and we will be comforted knowing he is at peace. 

He is survived by his wife, Alene Russon, three children, Barton M. Russon (Kristin), Adrienne Paletz (Larry) and Jennifer Carter (Kirk) along with his three grandchildren, Candice Christensen (Dane), Zachary Russon and Alecksander Russon. 

A Celebration will be held on Friday, August 25th from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 South 900 East, Salt Lake City, UT.