Mr. Russell
I just read that my 6th grade LA teacher, Mr. Russell, passed away yesterday. I always imagined him to be invincible, literally incapable of dying. I'm not sure why.
I walked into his classroom a chubby, awkward 11 year old girl. I loved to read, yet struggled with the finer points of technical English. I particularly struggled with prepositional phrases, which I had come to consider the bane of my existence. Sixth Grade Language Arts/EOG mandated that we learn all preposition rules for writing. I, for whatever reason, could not grasp these rules.
Mr. Russell simply smiled and encouraged me to start again. He gave up many 10 minute breaks (which we had in lieu of recess), lunch breaks and free time to help me. I never heard a harsh word from him. In fact, I don't recall him ever raising his voice.
Mr. Russell always dressed 'to the nines', clad in dress jackets, pressed slacks and a bow tie. He was my personal Mr. Belvedere, full of class and substance. Always smiling, he treated everyone with kindness and respect, regardless of who they were, how much money they had or who their parents were. [He found out that one of the students lived in a plumbing-free house in the woods. That boy was provided shampoo, soap, etc - and full access to the boy's locker room so that no one would tease him.]
Mr. Russell retired when I was in high school. He became well known around ColdandSad, Maine for his gift of baking. Many of his former students were surprised when he turned in his bow tie for polo shirts and (gasp!) blue jeans or chinos. His involvement in local causes and organizations was the norm; all will surely feel the loss of his passing.
I haven't seen Mr. Russell for over 20 years. It feels surreal, like I just saw him yesterday. Time is weird like that, I guess.
Mr. Russell leaves a wife of 53 years, two daughters (and spouses), grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends, family, former students. He was eighty three years old. Rest well, Mr. R. You deserve it.
As requested in his obituary, I will spend today baking sweets for those I love. If you are so inclined, please feel free to join me.
I walked into his classroom a chubby, awkward 11 year old girl. I loved to read, yet struggled with the finer points of technical English. I particularly struggled with prepositional phrases, which I had come to consider the bane of my existence. Sixth Grade Language Arts/EOG mandated that we learn all preposition rules for writing. I, for whatever reason, could not grasp these rules.
Mr. Russell simply smiled and encouraged me to start again. He gave up many 10 minute breaks (which we had in lieu of recess), lunch breaks and free time to help me. I never heard a harsh word from him. In fact, I don't recall him ever raising his voice.
Mr. Russell always dressed 'to the nines', clad in dress jackets, pressed slacks and a bow tie. He was my personal Mr. Belvedere, full of class and substance. Always smiling, he treated everyone with kindness and respect, regardless of who they were, how much money they had or who their parents were. [He found out that one of the students lived in a plumbing-free house in the woods. That boy was provided shampoo, soap, etc - and full access to the boy's locker room so that no one would tease him.]
Mr. Russell retired when I was in high school. He became well known around ColdandSad, Maine for his gift of baking. Many of his former students were surprised when he turned in his bow tie for polo shirts and (gasp!) blue jeans or chinos. His involvement in local causes and organizations was the norm; all will surely feel the loss of his passing.
I haven't seen Mr. Russell for over 20 years. It feels surreal, like I just saw him yesterday. Time is weird like that, I guess.
Mr. Russell leaves a wife of 53 years, two daughters (and spouses), grandchildren, great-grandchildren, friends, family, former students. He was eighty three years old. Rest well, Mr. R. You deserve it.
As requested in his obituary, I will spend today baking sweets for those I love. If you are so inclined, please feel free to join me.
posted by rennratt at 7:30 AM
9 Comments:
What a lovely tribute to him. I don't even know him and I got teary eyed.
I second everything ETW just said - right down to the teary-eyedness. What a man. I had a teacher or two like that. Teachers who taught for the love of knowledge and their commitment to passing that knowledge on. My Miss Priss just wrote a touching letter to her "Mr. Russell". I'm glad there are still some of them around.
I'm so sorry.
It never ceases to amaze me how influential teachers can be in the lives of their students - and how long that influence can be felt.
I recall feeling similarly when I heard my beloved Kindergarten teacher had passed away. Her willingness to go well beyond the parameters of her job made a huge difference in my journey from 5-year-old to adult.
What a blessing for you to have crossed Mr. Russell's path, and I am so sorry for your loss. We'll honor his memory in the kitchen as well, for all teachers - especially those who teach from the depths of their soul - deserve no less.
(I'm a little biased, as my wife is a teacher. And few things bring me more joy than to see the process through her eyes.)
I'm so glad you wrote about this special man who touched so many lives.
A beautiful tribute to a special man in a special prefession. It amazes me to no end that we pay millions to spoiled, selfish, borderline (and not so borderline) criminal sports figures and do not give any respect or reward to the people that influence the thought and lives of our children.
If I had had a teacher like that, I may have made something of myself. You know, other than the mess I made on my own.
I will eat baked goods today in his honor.
As Evil Twin's Wife said.
I still get my hometown newspaper and I saw my school bus driver in the obituary a few weeks ago. It feels like everyone should stay just the way that I remember them.
Hi! Longtime lurker here. I'm from Maine as well.....or I was. Now I'm in flat, flat NWOhio. Did you attend MA? I have a friend that did, and now she lives away and I'd like to pass on the news if Mr. Russell is somebody she'd have known.
What a lovely tribute. I hope that every child has a "Mr. Russell" sometime during their school years.
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