Dr. Ronald L Russell, PhD, 89, passed away peacefully on September 14, 2019 at his home in Nokomis, Florida. Ron was born to Flossie M (Key) and George E Russell in Miami, FL on May 27, 1930. A lifelong scholar, he held a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Divinity from Florida Southern College, a Master’s in Divinity from Emory University, a Master’s in Human Development and Family Studies from Pennsylvania State University.
He married the love of his life, Beatrice E Walling, on June 3, 1951 and were together for 50 wonderful years prior to her passing in 2000. They enjoyed traveling, visiting with their many friends, enjoying the arts, and being with family. They lived in several states over the course of their lives — Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio — and they were lucky to make many lifelong friends across the United States.
Ron started his career as a minister for the United Methodist Church in the 1950s and served as the minister for several churches’ his favorite was when he led a campus congregation through the Wesley Fellowship at Northern Illinois University.
Ron was committed to human equality, and as a minister in Florida in the 1950s and 60s, he spoke at civil rights meetings, participated in protests, and was part of the March on Selma, led by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. When the church elders told Ron that they felt his views and speeches on civil rights were inappropriate, and asked him to tell an interracial couple to leave his congregation, he refused. Thereafter, he changed profession and devoted the rest of his career to education. He believed education was the key to societal progress and a vehicle to fight inequality.
Ron taught at Penn State University (1971-1972), Texas Tech University (1973-1978), and Bowling Green State University (1978-1994), and retired in 1994 as the Dean of the College of Education and Human Development at BGSU.
Ron made a lasting impact on so many people over the course of his career. He loved mentoring students — he was the academic advisor for over 400 graduate research and teaching assistants — and an informal mentor to many more. His impact was such that throughout the rest of his life, Ron was visited by former students from his academic life and former friends from the Methodist churches with which he’d been affiliated, even people who hadn’t worked with him in over 50 years. He cherished these lifelong friendships.
After retirement, Ron and Bea split their time between their homes in Nokomis, FL and Hendersonville, NC. At his home in Nokomis, Ron led a weekly movie and dinner group and served on planning committees as a member of the board of the community’s homeowners’ association. He also picked up photography as a hobby and loved sharing his nature photos in custom calendars that he created for friends and family for many years.
Ron is survived by his two children, Teri (John) McCormick and Rick Russell. Ron delighted in his three grand-daughters, Amber (Erick) Black, Kristin (Chris) McCormick, andWhitney McCormick. He is also survived by his three great-grandchildren, Eva and Ada Black and Ezra McCormick-Gross.
His family and friends will miss his endless supply of wisdom and kindness. The family wishes to thank Ron’s many friends who enriched his life, with a special recognition to his neighbors David and Nancy at theInlets, who helped him greatly in his final years. Thank you, also, to the staff at Tidewell Hospice for their loving care.
Ron requested that there be no service. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Ron’s memory to the Ronald L Russell Leadership Award, care of the College of Education and Human Development at BGSU, Bowling Green, OH 43403. The scholarship was created as a legacy gift upon the occasion of Ron’s retirement.
