Joel Russ,
Menke is a common surname today in the city of Osnabruck, about 60
listed in the telephome book. Go to Das Telefonbuch, you can click English,
all you have to type Menke and click Find, there will come up six pages of
Menke names, addresses and phone numbers. These addresses will include in
Menke's in some little places near the city. Try contacting some of those names,
most can read English or have someone would help them. You might even stumble on
one who is a distant cousin.
Was your Russ from Germany, maybe Rüss/Rüssen in Germany? I know of
some who came from near Osnabrück.
Good luck,
Prof J S Poetker