Russell Lee Wehner, Jr. was born in Peoria, Illinois, son of Russell Lee Wehner, Sr. and Dorothy Swanson Wehner.  He died in Denver, Colorado at 91 years old at home surrounded by his loving family.  In 1935, during the Great Depression, his family moved to Denver.  Russ went through the Denver Public Schools—Park Hill Elementary School, Smiley Jr. High, and East High School—and sent his children through the DPS.  He continued his involvement in Denver Public schools through his participation in the Tuesday Afternoon Club, a tutoring program at Park Hill Elementary where he tutored for 20 years.

After East, Russ attended Yale University where he earned a B.A. in Applied Economics.  At Yale, Russ joined the Army Reserve, served 23 years, learning Chinese and retiring at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.  In 1953, after two years at Yale Law School, he returned to Denver to join his mother and father in the family business, Russ Wehner Realty Company.

Soon after he came back from Yale, Russ met Margaret Sylvester.  They married in June 1957 and had four children—Beth, Rusty, Robert, and David.  He was an engaged father and eventually an active grandfather to nine grandchildren.

Russ was an Eagle Scout and troop leader for his three sons, who are also Eagle Scouts.  His daughter was also a scout and reached the highest rank in Girl Scouts.

In 1983, Russ was elected president of the Denver Board of Realtors.  In that same year, he was one of fifteen Realtors in the nation who held the Member Appraisal Institute (MAI) designation, Certified Property Manager (CPM) designation, and Certified Commercial Investment Member (CCIM) designation.  He served two terms on the Real Estate Commission, and in 1986 was elected Realtor of the Year, the highest honor given to a member of the Denver Board of Realtors.  For over twenty years, Russ taught classes in real estate taxes and real estate appraisal for the Colorado Association of Realtors.

Russ was an active member of Montview Presbyterian Church for 67 years, the church in which he and Margaret were married.  He was a deacon and an elder, served on several Calling Committees, taught multiple adult education courses, and sponsored communicants.

He was a dry fly fisherman, liked to travel, camp, and downhill skied into his 80s.  Because he was born on Halloween, Russ celebrated the holiday more and more the older he got.  The last 20 years of his life, he spent every Halloween dressed as a ghoul, scaring the bejeebers out of little children, telling the kids to run to the "old witch at the door" for the treats, and handing out hot cider to the parents.

Memorial service will be held Friday, August 12, 2022 at 2:00pm at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, 1980 Dahlia St, Denver, CO 80220. In lieu of flowers memorials can be made to Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church , St. Francis Center , or the Denver Rescue Mission in Russell's name.