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Toward the end of his last term he was asked by a staff member, "Are you willing to go to Parkside UCC in Phoenixville for three months to help them to decide about their future?" He responded to the call and found himself staying for a month and eleven years! He retired in 2022 and was given the honorific title of “Pastor Emeritus”. He said, "I have always believed, and having authored five books about worship, that worship is the key component to church renewal and revitalization. The Parkside experience witnessed to what I learned from experience and relationships with the Parkside congregation and others to whom, over the years, I served as a consultant and mentor." Pennsylvania Southeast Conference awarded him the honor of naming him "Conference Minister Emeritus" in November of 2022.
He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Ruth Hevener Mitman. Upon graduation from seminary – he never liked being addressed by titles – Ruth was awarded humorously with a “Ph.T.: Putting Husband Through”. He said, "In 1962 unfortunately most seminary graduates in the USA were men. Thankfully the situation in mainline churches reversed. Ruth “put me through” and she has been with me through 58 years of ministry in the relocations and changes that somehow only the God who works in mysterious ways has had in mind. I never intended to do what I did. I was going to be a professor of theology, but God spoke to me through my mentor, the late Dr. Franz Hildebrandt, on a night of decision. He said ‘You can be both a pastor and teacher’."
Russ is also survived by his daughter, Lucy Ann Mitman of Collegeville, the mother of his two adult grandchildren, Montana Aubrey Wagner and Bo Morgan Wagner. And his son, Kurt who with his wife Mary Rhigos Mitman lives in St. Augustine, Florida.
A service of celebration of the Resurrection will be held on Saturday, February 4th at 11:00 am at Church of the Good Shepherd, 35 W. Philadelphia Ave., Boyertown, PA, where Russ was installed as Conference Minister in 1993. Clergy are invited to process in robes with white stoles. For online participation please register here. A time for conversation and refreshments will follow in the church social hall. Burial will be private at the family’s resting place in St. Mark’s Cemetery, Pennsburg, PA. If you have photographs of significant moments with Russ, please email them to Susan at the Conference Office at susan@psec.org. Cards of condolence may be sent to Mrs. Ruth Mitman, 362 Carmen Dr., Collegeville, PA 19426. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be directed to UCC Valley Forge (45 Walker Rd.; Wayne, PA 19087); Parkside UCC (505 Main Street; Phoenixville, PA 19460); The Pennsylvania Southeast Conference (1441 Laura Lane, Suite 100; Pottstown, PA 19464).
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