Russell Gaskins IV

Russell Jerome Gaskins IV was born July 13, 1991 in Pittsburgh, PA to Russell Gaskins III and Robin Middleton. He went home to be with the Lord on Friday, December 14, 2018. Russell had down syndrome and attended the School for the Blind in Oakland from the age of 3 ½ years old until he graduated at the age of 21. After his graduation, he continued in the Adult “LAVI” Program, where one teacher described him as “a celebrity”. Russell was a very special person. His smile would light up any room. He learned to swim at age three and continued doing so until age 18 when he had to give it up due to his tracheostomy. However, his greatest passion was music. He loved playing his many keyboards, listening to music videos and keeping beat on his tambourine at church with the choir. Russell and Robin were both baptized and became faithful members of the King of Kings Baptist Ministries family on November 2, 2014. Aside from his mother Robin and father Russell, Russell leaves to cherish his precious memories one brother Jerome K. Addison; grandmothers LaVeda Cox-Hill and Yevorn Gaskins; grandfathers: Robert S. Middleton and Russell J. Gaskins II; aunts: Lisa Middleton, Yvette Harrison Middleton, Yugonda Acrie, Ebony Gaskins (North Carolina); Uncle: Virgil Gaskins (North Carolina) Konota Gaskins (preceded him in death); a host of great aunts and uncles, cousins and friends.

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