Russell Gene Wuertzer, 47, went to his heavenly home Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA.  A celebration of Russell’s life will be held on Monday, December 15 from 5 to 7 pm at Koehn Bros. Funeral Home in Parkston.

Russell  was born January 27, 1978 to Robert and Jean (Jenks) Wuertzer in Parkston, SD.  He attended Parkston High School and graduated in 1997.  After graduating from South Dakota State University in Brookings, SD in 2001, he moved to Sioux Falls, SD where he worked for Sam’s Club and Famous Daves.  Needing a change in his life, he moved to Austin, TX and eventually San Marcos, TX where he attended and graduated from Texas State University with a degree in Respiratory Therapy.  After graduation, Russell moved to Denver, CO and Colorado Springs, CO where he lived until 2017 when he moved to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia where he worked as a respiratory therapist at King Fiasal Specialty Hospital and Research Center.  In 2023, he moved to Boston, MA where he worked at Massachusetts General Hospital.  He loved traveling, knitting and quilting.

Grateful for having share his life are his parents, Robert and Jean of Parkston; 2 brothers: Richard Wuertzer of Mitchell, SD and Royce (Jessica) Wuertzer of Rapid City, SD; a niece, Haelee (Ezra) Wiechmann of Sorum, SD; and a nephew, Tucker Wuertzer of Rapid City.