When Russell McKinley Loper was born on 22 September 1899, in Lamont, Buchanan, Iowa, United States, his father, Alfred Strong Loper, was 53 and his mother, Lodema Cecilia Tompkins, was 45. He married Gladys Carmen Keepers on 5 June 1919, in Mason City, Cerro Gordo, Iowa, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 2 daughters. He lived in Spokane, Spokane, Washington, United States in 1935 and Wisconsin, United States in 1961. He registered for military service in 1919. He died on 25 July 1961, in Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States, at the age of 61, and was buried in Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States.