Russell Oliver Amrhein

Russell Oliver Amrhein, 73, passed away peacefully on March 16, 2026, with his wife of 55 years, Paula, right by his side—just where she had been through every chapter of his life.

For the past nine years, Russ took on Parkinson’s the same way he approached everything else: head-on, with grit, discipline, and just enough humor to keep things interesting. He worked out five days a week, kept up with more doctor visits than anyone would volunteer for, and still managed to show up each day with a “let’s figure it out” attitude and a quick one-liner.

Born to the late Russell C. and Alma H. Amrhein, Russ grew up in Salem, Virginia near Dixie Caverns, the third of four boys. A 1970 graduate of Glenvar High School, he spent his younger years running a newspaper route, showing cattle for 4-H, wrestling and playing football for the Highlanders—and, if needed, standing his ground against neighborhood bullies (never on the bus, though—his mom said so!). His brothers always said he had the fastest hands around and always knew how to make a dollar.

He married his high school sweetheart, Paula Webster Amrhein, on March 28, 1970—and from there, life moved fast. By 1975, they had two children, Jacquelyn and Chadwick, and by 1976, Russ had built a log cabin on Poor Mountain— hauling every log four miles with his tractor—because the trailer stopped traveling at the end of state-maintained road. Family life was anything but idle. Together, they grew a five-acre garden, canned food, raised 200 hogs, wrapped 100 pounds of sausage in a weekend, and spent Sundays chopping wood like it was just another way to relax and spend quality family time. Around the same time, Russ began working alongside his father at AmRhein’s Fine Jewelry, learning the family trade while Paula kept everything running behind the scenes.

By 1975, Russ and Paula took ownership of AmRhein’s Fine Jewelry, continuing the family legacy with determination, creativity, and a commitment to doing things their own way. Russ became known as the “Big Idea Guy”—always thinking ahead, always asking “what if?”—including having the first computer system in a retail jewelry store in the Roanoke Valley and a one-stop-shop business model including limousine service, bridal and tuxedo boutique, and a travel agent office was created in 1992.

But Russ didn’t stop there.

In 1996, on a cold, rainy April day that most people would’ve rescheduled, Russ and his family planted their first row of grapes on Bent Mountain. That moment launched AmRhein’s Wine Cellar, which he and Paula owned and operated for 26 years. With no formal training — just books, good questions, and a willingness to learn — he built a respected winery from the ground up without any formal education.

His efforts paid off, earning Virginia’s Governor’s Cup in both 2002 and 2004. He was also the first in Virginia to bottle Petit Verdot as its own varietal, proving once again that he preferred doing things differently if he thought it could be done better. Russ took pride in producing true estate wines—17 wines from 26 grape varietals—grown right here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, which he called the “only true taste of the Blue Ridge.” The winery closed in June 2024, marking the end of a business he built from scratch.

Russ lived by a simple philosophy: think differently, take the risk, and don’t waste time worrying about failure. In fact, he didn’t believe in failure much at all—just waiting for the next idea to happen.

He is survived by his dedicated wife, Paula; his daughter Jacquelyn Amrhein-Sells (Tom), Roanoke; his son Chadwick Amrhein (Beckie) Roanoke; and his four grandchildren—Hannah Sells (“TJ”), Roanoke; Bryce Amrhein (“Buddy”), Blue Ridge; Abigail Amrhein (“Girlie”), Roanoke; and Reed Sells (“Spider Monkey”), Towson, MD —who called him PawPaw and will carry forward his stories, his spirit, and likely a few of his bold ideas. Russ is survived by brothers Terry Amrhein (Cindy) in Vermont and Kenneth Amrhein (Valerie) in Jamaica, VA, who have a lifetime of stories to tell—most of which probably get better with time, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He is predeceased by his brother Frederick Amrhein.

Russ will be remembered as a builder, a self-learner, a risk-taker, and someone who rarely did things the ordinary way. His impact lives on in the jewelry business he helped grow, the family he loved, and the example he set.

A private memorial will be held at a later date. In the meantime, the family suggests honoring Russ in a way he would appreciate: pour a glass of Virginia wine, support a local Roanoke Valley business or local farmer in your area, and make it a habit to take risks without fear of failure.

A memorial gift in Russ Amrhein’s memory may be made to The Virginia Tech Foundation to support the W.E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center by going to https://skelton4hcenter.org/donate/ Virginia. This gift will help support the summer camps at Smith Mountain Lake for 4-H youth.