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Dr. Russell was a 1961 graduate of Marion High School and received a B.S and a M.S in geology from Kansas State University in 1966 and 1967. He received a Ph.D. in geology from the University of Nebraska in 1974. Dr. Russell was employed by the Kansas Highway Department of transportation in Topeka, Kansas from 1967 to 1971. From 1971 to 1987, he was a faculty member in the Department of Geosciences at Texas A&M University at Kingsville where he was instrumental in creating baccalaureate and masters degree programs in geology and served as Chairman for 8 years. During his tenure at the university, Dr. Russell was Director of South Texas Energy Research and Development Center of the Analytical Instruments Laboratory, which he established through acquisition of federal and private grants. He also was an independent consultant for governmental agencies and private industry performing land use studies, water resources investigations, and studying the agricultural and engineering properties of soils. He conducted geologic field trips in Texas and northern Mexico for the Geological Society of America, the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, the Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies , the Corpus Christi Geological Society, and the Texas Academy of Sciences. Dr. Russell joined Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas in 1987 where he conducted and managed technical assistance and research work in the geosciences for the U.S Nuclear Regulatory Commission high-level nuclear waste geologic repository program. In 1992, he moved with his family to Oakton, Virginia where he served as the Director of the Southwest Research Institute Technical Support Washington, D.C. Office and as Assistant to the President of the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses. Dr. Russell managed activities associated with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulation of decontamination and decommissioning of nuclear facilities from 1997 until his retirement in March 2006. After retiring, he moved with his wife to Yuma, Arizona.
He was a member of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (Charter Member, Division of Environmental Geosciences) and the Texas State Society.
He was a loving and supportive husband, father, brother, grandfather, and uncle and a passionate and inspirational teacher who loved to share his knowledge with others.
He is survived by his wife, Jo Anne of Yuma, Arizona; two sons, Chris Russell of Riviera, Texas and Clint (Vickie) Russell of Cavalier, North Dakota; sister, Jeanette (John) Rupp of Marion, Kansas; four grandchildren of Cavalier, North Dakota; niece Laura (Dan) Baldwin and three great-nephews all of Marion.
Funeral services were held on Sunday afternoon at the Christian Church in Marion, Kansas with Rev. Carl Helm officiating. Burial was in Marion Cemetery.
Memorials have been established with Zeiner Funeral Home in Marion for the American Diabetes Association and the American Heart Association.
Everlasting Memorial at http://jlr.georockdoc.com