Russell Norman Kamp

Russell Norman Kamp (April 9, 1929 – November 6, 2024) died peacefully on Wednesday after a short illness. He is survived by his wife Patricia (Greer), children Russell (Laurie), Laurie Krum (William), and Glenn (Kelly), his 11 grandchildren Ryan (Kelly), Kristen Pahlow (Pierce), Connor (Leeann), Kelsey Palatiello (Brett), Mackenzie, Brianne Banales (Freddy), Alyssa Bock (William), Matthew Krum (Victoria), Rylee, Kacey, and Ella, and 15 great-grandchildren. Russell was predeceased by his youngest daughter, Kelly Ann, who was surely waiting with open arms and a huge smile. 

Born an only child in Rosedale, Queens to Violet (Kind) and Albert, Russ’s early years were quiet, a fact that would surprise many who would come to know him by his warmth, the enormous size of his circle of close friends, his campy singing, and the joy he radiated in the center of any party.

Russ was immensely proud of his military service, spending two years in the US Army Signal Corps and rising to the rank of corporal while stationed in Japan during the Korean War. His best military stories and lifelong friendships were forged on the baseball diamond, where Russ was a pitcher for his base’s team, Headquarters XVI Corps.

He returned home to Queens and found himself taken by a charming Irish co-worker in his office in Englewood Cliffs, NJ. Pat and Russ were married in 1958 and spent 66 wonderful years together filled with laughter, love, amazing friends, and games of cribbage. After their wedding, they settled down in Palisades Park, NJ where they would raise their four children while Russ spent 44 years in customer service at Prentice Hall and Pat worked as a nurse at Holy Name Hospital.

In retirement, Pat and Russ split time between the Poconos and Scottsdale, Arizona before deciding to return to New Jersey to be closer to their growing family, a decision that they never regretted. Russ will be fondly remembered for his warmth, his laughter, his mostly ill-fated love of the Giants and Mets, and his wonderfully terrible rendition of “Happy Birthday” that he performed on every grandchild, great-grandchild, and in-law’s birthday without fail. Of all his life’s accomplishments, none made him prouder than his roles as husband, Dad, Grandpa, and Boompah.

The family will receive relatives and friends on Monday  Nov.11,2024, 3-7pm at the Vander Plaat Funeral Home ,257 Godwin Ave. Wyckoff, NJ 07481. A funeral Mass is planned for Tuesday  Nov.12,2024, 10am at Immaculate Conception R.C. Church, 900 Darlington Ave. Mahwah, NJ 07430. Entombment to follow at Maryrest Cemetery, Mahwah, NJ.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Russell Norman Kamp, please visit our floral store.