George Robie Russell passed away after a brief illness Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2010, at Billings, Mont. He was 89.
"Old George," as he liked to be called, was born Jan. 20, 1921, at the family ranch near White Bird, to Ralph James Russell and Sarah Alice Robie Russell. He was a descendant of the Robie family, Idaho pioneers who came to the gold rush at the Boise Basin and Florence in the 1850s and then moved north to the Salmon River country of north central Idaho. Of note was his grandmother, Isabella Kelly Robie, whose life and experiences in the Nez Perce Indian War of 1877 have been widely chronicled over the years.
George grew up on the Salmon River, where he spent his youth working on the family cattle ranch. He attended school at White Bird and graduated from White Bird High School as the class valedictorian in 1937. Due to the influence and skill of his high school math teacher, he became adept at mathematics and, upon graduation, was encouraged by his family to pursue an engineering education at the University of Idaho in Moscow, graduating with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1943. During his student days, he lived at the Campus Club, but had to move to a rooming house on Sixth Street when student quarters were taken over by the military at the outbreak of World War II.
Upon graduation, George went to work for the Civil Aeronautics Administration in Alaska and later joined the U.S. Navy, where he served in the Aleutian Islands as an ensign in the Civil Engineer Corps. It was his job to survey and lay out military airstrips for use by U.S. forces.
In 1947, he returned to Moscow and UI, where he began teaching surveying and field engineering to older students who had just returned from the war, many of whom were his own age. That same year, he married Jean Ray Atkinson, another Idaho County native. However, that marriage ended in divorce and, in 1951, he returned to Alaska to work as an engineer with the Alaska Road Commission as chief of surveys. It was there that he met Lois Christine Smith, of Hot Springs, Ark., who had also migrated to Alaska after the war to work for the road commission. They were married at Juneau Oct. 27, 1952.
In 1953, George's only brother, Ralph Victor (Bub) Russell, who was managing the Russell Ranch at White Bird, fell gravely ill, so George and Lois returned to Idaho in the fall of 1953 to take over the ranching operations. Bub died the following year. George also continued his civil engineering practice, including surveying much of the land along the Salmon River and many of the remote areas of Idaho County.
In the spring of 1958, George and Lois moved back to Moscow so George could begin a professorship at the College of Engineering at UI. From that time on, winters were spent in Moscow and summers at the Russell Ranch.
George's engineering career at UI spanned parts of five decades, beginning in 1947 and ending upon his retirement in 1985. During his tenure as a professor of civil engineering he taught surveying, transportation engineering, strength of materials, engineering economy, engineering law and contracts, as well as statics. He also served as assistant dean of the college beginning in 1967 and was elevated to associate dean in 1980 with a joint appointment in engineering administration and civil engineering.
George is probably best remembered for his ability to interact with people of all ages, positions and stripes. He was a mentor to many Idaho engineers, and it's hard to imagine that anyone who has practiced engineering in the state of Idaho during the last 50 years did not in some way come into contact with Professor Russell. Many former students have fond memories of "Old George" in his trademark Stetson, chewing on his unlit cigar while observing and aiding students as they surveyed and resurveyed the Moscow campus. And his activities were not limited solely to the classroom or the campus.
George served with distinction on the Moscow City Council for 12 years, with eight years as chairman and one year as acting mayor. He was also a board member and president of the Association of Idaho Cities, a member and director of the Moscow Chamber of Commerce, and served on the Moscow Economic Development Council. He also ably served his profession as a member of the board of governors and vice president of the National Society of Professional Engineers, as a board member and president of the Idaho Society of Professional Engineers, as a member and chairman of the Idaho State Board of Engineering Examiners for two terms, as a member and secretary of the College of Engineering Advisory Board, as a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, and as a member of the Idaho Association of Land Surveyors.
Among George's many honors, awards and contributions were: 2002 Idaho Engineering Hall of Fame; 1989 Distinguished Service Award, National Society of Professional Engineers; 1988 Engineer of the Year, Idaho Society of Professional Engineers; 1983 Distinguished Service Award, National Council of Engineering Examiners; and Idaho Statesman Distinguished Citizen.
Upon his retirement in 1985, the College of Engineering dedicated the George Russell Computer Lab in his honor and, in 2006, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce honored him by naming its newly remodeled conference room the George Russell Conference Room. In 2009, he was saluted as an Idaho Engineering EXPO Honoree.
In his book, "A Spirit of Excellence," former civil engineering Professor Cal Warnick wrote, "Russell had the attributes of friendship. He was always cultivating friends, and as a faculty member he always had time to talk with students, with faculty colleagues, with university administrators, with city officials, or with state leaders. It did not matter who it was. He became acquainted with everyone and won their respect and confidence. He then could always turn to these same friends for favors, for advice and counsel, and did so to the welfare of our college."
In describing George's accomplishments, William Smith, former Moscow city engineer and city manager, once said that "George's contribution is people [his] values, ideals, and ethics are a lasting legacy, and these are what George creates in people. Hundreds of engineers have left the University of Idaho bearing an imprint from George Russell."
"Old George" did an outstanding job for his family, his profession, his university and his state. He gave a good account of himself, while he was with us and will be fondly remembered and sorely missed by those who knew him.
George R. Russell is survived by his sons and their spouses, Robie G. Russell and Nancy of Bainbridge Island, Wash., and Ralph D. Russell and Cindi of White Bird; daughters and spouses, Julie R. Stanaszek and Mike of Issaquah, Wash., Connie R. Becker and Brad of Billings, Mont., and Sarah R. Berryman and James of Enumclaw, Wash.; along with numerous cousins. He also leaves nine grandchildren and one greatgranddaughter.
George was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, and his loving wife of 55 years, Lois.
Memorial contributions may be made to the George and Lois Russell Family Engineering Scholarship or the Vandal Scholarship Fund at the University of Idaho, P.O. Box 443147, Moscow, ID 838443147; or to St. Mary's School, 412 N. Monroe, Moscow, ID 83843-3252.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Moscow. The Rev. Joseph Schmidt will be the celebrant. A reception will follow at the Parish Family Center.
A graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the White Bird Cemetery, with the Rev. Brad Neely of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Grangeville officiating. A reception will follow at the White Bird Odd Fellows Hall.
Arrangements are under the direction of Short's Funeral Chapel of Moscow and online condolences may be left at www.shortsfuneral
chapel.net.
