James Russell Dumas, Jr., D.D.S., went marching into heaven with the saints on Thursday, April 9, 2026, and was met by his parents, Irene Fullilove Watkins Dumas and James Russell Dumas and his brother, Percy Edwin Dumas. 

A celebration of James Russell’s life will be held Friday, April 17, at Prentiss Methodist Church with visitation from 9:00 - 11:00 a.m. and service at 11:00 a.m., followed by a continued celebration at Dogwood Hill.

Known as Daddy, Daddio, Daddo, J.R., Slick, Doc, and Darlin’ (only by his darling Peggy Joy), countless people knew him, loved him and considered him a friend. Friends since middle school, he was the devoted husband of Peggy Joy Dale Dumas, loving her deeply and faithfully throughout their 63 years of marriage. 

James Russell and Peggy Joy raised a tight knit family of five children: Irene Dumas Tyson (Rob), James Russell Dumas, III (Cindy), John Dale Dumas (Jennifer), Sorena Dumas Vinson (Cris), and Jeremiah Percy Dumas (Hope). 

They were blessed with 18 grandchildren: Jessica Phillips Rammo (Fadi), Virginia Boyd James (John), Anne Watkins Davidson (Andrew), Ruth Emmon Tyson, Russell Dumas (Liz), Camille Dumas, John Polk Dumas (Madelynn), Marganie Bradshaw (Blake), Jack Dumas (Lauren), Lacey Dumas, James David Dumas, Onsby Vinson, Stella Bennett (Riley), Lawson Joy Dumas, Katherine Dumas, Phelps Dumas, Watkins Dumas, and Edison Dumas. And if they were not enough to love, God blessed them with 11 great grandchildren: Campbell James, Robert James, Anderson James, Nell Davidson, Drew Davidson, James Russell Dumas, Wilks Dumas, John Thomas Dumas, John Byers Dumas, Hattie Dumas, and Ann Bryant Bennett with two more great granddaughters - Baby Bradshaw and Baby Rammo - expected to join the family this summer. 

Also, James Russell is survived by his sister Susan Crain (Warren) and brother Charley Dumas (Stephanie), and dozens of Watkins and Dumas cousins, nieces and nephews. 

James Russell worked his entire life to care for his family, provide for them, open doors to meaningful opportunities and teach them. He exemplified living fully in faith, always doing your best, owning up to and learning from mistakes, using what you have, and never wasting a good chicken bone.

 He loved family and friends deeply. He found joy in dancing with Peggy Joy and his granddaughters at their weddings, cheering on his children and grandchildren in sports and the arts, attending Mississippi State games, reading Louis L’Amour westerns, playing golf, and telling stories around the kitchen table or a warm fire. He relished simple pleasures: eating fried chicken livers and gizzards and sardines with Premium saltine crackers, sunsets at the beach with a cold beer in his hand surrounded by family, eating oysters and crabs, and riding down to the first lake in search of elusive beavers. 

After his freshman year at Mississippi State, where he lived in Old Main until that fateful night of its burning, he transferred to Millsaps College where he lettered in football, baseball and basketball, was president of Kappa Sigma Fraternity, and graduated with high honors. Following graduation from Millsaps and as a newlywed, he worked at the University of Mississippi Medical School with Dr. Robert Johnson, contributing to the seminal paper, Lymphatics of the Heart, which he presented over 60 times. 

But dentistry was his calling. After serving as class president all four years of dental school and graduating first in his class from Loyola University School of Dentistry, he opened a dental practice back home in Prentiss. He was determined to give back and make better his beloved hometown. For over 55 years, he cared for hundreds of patients, caring not only for their teeth, but also for their lives.

 James Russell was a leader in the profession, serving as president of the Mississippi Dental Association (1987) and was a Fellow in the American College of Dentists, a member of the Pierre Fauchard Academy International Honor Organization, and was one of the longest serving delegates in the history of the American Dental Association (over 30 years). He served on the UMC Dental School admissions committee for numerous years and mentored generations of young dentists. James Russell tirelessly walked the halls of the Mississippi State Capitol and the US Congress to support the profession of dentistry. In 2015, he was honored by the Mississippi Dental Association with the rare Lifetime Achievement Award for his selfless and dedicated service to the profession. In 2022, the State of Mississippi passed HB 657 - the "James Russell Dumas Medicaid Dental Services Incentive Program” - in recognition of his steadfast advocacy for dentistry. 

James Russell was a leader and community advocate. As a Rotarian, he volunteered hundreds of hours, served as president and was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow. He served on the board of Prentiss Christian School for decades and served on the executive committee of the Mississippi Private School Association (now Midsouth Association of Independent Schools), where he was honored with a Lay Leadership Award and inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame (2019). He was honored to serve as the Grand Marshall of the Prentiss Christmas Parade in 2024. 

James Russell loved fiercely. With the birth of each child, grandchild, great grandchild and as others married into the family, he always wondered if he had enough love for one more. He discovered that each new family member exponentially increased his capacity to love. James Russell was always present and proud of his children. He and Peggy Joy celebrated each one’s birthday, every year with a call and a duet of “Happy Birthday.” He initiated three sons, two grandsons, and numerous young friends into Kappa Sigma. He proudly attended awards ceremonies, graduations, recitals, and anything where his children were. Since 1981, he welcomed hundreds to Dumas tailgates at Mississippi State and to countless weekends and parties at Dogwood Hill. 

After his youngest son graduated from high school and Mississippi State, James Russell couldn’t bear missing out on Friday night lights so he joined an officiating crew. For over thirty years, he spent Friday nights with his crew (“all great fellows”), calling high school football games all over south Mississippi and Louisiana as well as a few state championship games. Even in his 70s, he could run up and down the football f ield as well as anyone decades younger. James Russell was a consummate athlete, artist, lifelong learner and reader. He was a prolific user of quotation marks in texts to his family and frequently sent “Thought for the Day” texts. When family texts got a bit sarcastic, he would respond, “Y’all be nice,” which always tempered the tone. His children and grandchildren will miss his texts, but the lessons will live on in their hearts. 

Slick really liked country music, especially Jimmy Reed, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and many legendary Mississippi bluesmen. One of his prized possessions was a photo of him and several of his fraternity brothers with Johnny Cash and June Carter after a concert at the old city auditorium in Jackson. 

James Russell was a pillar of the Prentiss United Methodist Church, serving in numerous leaderships roles, teaching Sunday School, singing in the choir, performing at Wednesday night family dinners, and sharing his faith as a lay speaker. He participated in Walk to Emmaus weekends where he deepened his faith alongside other pilgrims. He claimed this was the most spiritually uplifting thing he ever experienced. Daddy knew the Lord and knew he would spend eternity with Him. 

James Russell enjoyed cooking - biscuits and tomato gravy, all seafood and a good medium rare ribeye. His gumbo and crawfish boils were legendary. Some of his happiest moments were opening oysters with his sons and sons-in-law, serving his family and sharing some good tales and good times. His Saturday morning pancakes were delicious and fed the souls of his family.

 He delighted in teaching his grandchildren how to play poker and in being the “mayor” of Chartres Street in the French Quarter, where he and Peggy Joy enjoyed spending time. His name is proudly displayed on the Wall of Champions at Mississippi Blood Services, where he frequently and generously gave the gift of life through his blood and plasma donations - something he started in dental school and continued until a few months before his passing.

Never one to waste a thing, he created beauty from the ordinary - crafting dogwoods, magnolias, gumbo spoons, Christmas ornaments, baby spoons and necklaces out of oyster shells. He gathered leftover wood, fallen limbs and vines from around Dogwood Hill and shaped them into baskets. He gave these generously to family and friends - especially friends of his children and grandchildren. He always had just the piece to fix whatever needed to be fixed.

Together, James Russell and Peggy Joy designed and built Dogwood Hill. With a clear vision, they traveled throughout Cajun country and perused antique stores and old homesteads to shape the soul of their home. The doors of Dogwood Hill were always open and will remain so to family and friends and anyone needing a seat by a warm f ire, good food and lively conversation. 

It is impossible to capture fully the impact of the James Russell’s life. His work ethic was unparalleled. His generosity knew no bounds. He gave his children what he said was the most important thing he had to give: a good education and a good name… and a whole lot of love. 

In lieu of flowers, please honor James Russell by giving blood as often as you can and by making contributions to the Blair Batson Children’s Hospital (https://umc.edu/ Development/Give-Now.html), the Mississippi Dental Association Foundation (https:// www.msdental.org/about-us/mda-foundation) or an organization of your choice. 

But the best way to honor James Russell is simple: offer a hug when needed and to share a few kind words with everyone you meet each and every day. 

His family is honored to carry on his legacy - always striving to “leave the wood pile a little bit higher,” just as he did.

Online condolences and a guest registry are available at www.saultersmoorefuneralhome.com