Russell Junior Riddle is the seventh of 15 children born to Vivetta Henderson and Russell M. Riddle on March 25, 1939.

Russ worked at various jobs after graduating from Ogden High School and was also a member of the Utah National Guard. He began working at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in Ogden, Utah, as a young man and later transferred to Martinsburg, West Virginia.

It was there that he met the love of his life, Hilda Ash. They were married August 26, 1967 and in 1971 were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He lost his sweetheart, Hilda, when she passed away in July of 2012. Russ and Hilda donated their time and financial help to build the first chapel in Martinsburg, West Virginia. They have provided that same assistance to friends and members of their families and Russ continues to do so.

His brother, sisters and other family members celebrated his birthday Saturday at a family dinner in his honor.