Russell was the highly respected owner and president of Par Construction Co. (Oak Park/Burr Ridge) for 25 years. Memorial visitation Saturday December 8th from 10 a.m. until time of Memorial Service 11:30 am at Adolf Funeral Home & Cremation Services, Ltd. 7000 S. Madison St; Willowbrook. Information: 630-325-2300 or www.adolfservices.com.
With great sadness I must advise all that Russ passed away on Monday December 3. The memorial service is December 8 at Adolf's Funeral Home in Willowbrook, IL. There is a brief obit on their home page. Russ was a five year survivor of cancer. He leaves behind three adult children and many friends and extended family. Russ and I had been dear friends for nearly 60 years. I will miss him always.
Tom Breen
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I'm sorry for your loss Tom and that of all of us.
Susan Engle B
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Sorry to hear about Russ. A very nice man. Very smart and funny.
Craig Hullinger
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I feel like I knew Russ all the formative years of my life. As I recall he lived close to my home at 108th and St. Louis. He was in my Mt. Greenwood and Morgan Park high school pictures. He was a student I admired because
he was bright and aware of other student's feelings. I could see that.
Now I wish I had been closer to his inner circle of friends. I'm sad to know he's gone. He was a friend and classmate. To Tom Breen, at the moment, I can't think of anything worse than losing such a beloved, longtime friend.
Sharon Shepardson Avny
Class of 1966
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Russ was one of the smartest people I ever knew, and also one of the funniest. I always wished that I'd had the opportunity to know him much better.
My sympathy to Tom, since losing a lifelong friend is a dreadful passage, and to all who loved him.
~Taffy Cannon
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Thanks Tom for sending the news. Those of us from Mount Greenwood School know that the leadership and his funny wit were seen way back in early grammer school, where we all knew he'd eventually be Class President.
Always enjoyed catching up with Russ at the reunions. Where we always talked about our fight during a hectic Johnny-Run-Across game. Condolences Tom.
Jim Dart '66
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I remember Russ as 'Russell', since in grammar school full formal names were always used. I frequently sat in front of him when teachers arranged the classroom alphabetically. That happened both at Mt. Greenwood and at Morgan Park. He was always a nice guy... never dipped my braids in the inkwell.
Well, maybe I didn't have braids, but we did have inkwells, and they sometimes contained ink. One of the Mt. Greenwood memories I have of him was when the class was assigned writing poems about what we wanted to be when we grew up. My poem was short and stupid, but his was several pages long. I remember him reading his poem to the class.
It started out:
" When I grow up and become a man,
I'll become a pirate if I can."
I wish I could remember more of it; ... something about "Lafitte and Teach
marouding everything within reach...." Anyway, I was in awe of his ability to write a great poem, which wasn't fair because he was also good at math and science. I'm sure he would have succeeded in anything he tried, even if it
were becoming a pirate (which apparently, he did not.)
My condolences to all of you who knew him well.
Karen Rodberg
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Karen -- seems as though you knew Russ in a way that few others did... as a poet and pirate. Thank You for sharing this lovely memory and insight. I will smile every time I think of it.
Judy Halligan Willingham '66
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Well, well! Thanks for sharing the poetry thing with we who knew Russ for grammar school as well as high school. I had no idea he wrote poetry, but it somehow does not surprise me as I always found him to be a simply nice guy.
And now I know that he and I had more in common than the neighborhood we grew up
in, etc. I remember standing and talking to a group at the first MPHS reunion I attended (3 or 4 ago) and telling them about my poetry copyrights and business idea, and Pam Smith refreshed my memory about a poem I had written when we were in grammar school, which I do not remember at all. I wonder if Russ still remembered his first writings the way you and Pam remembered both of ours? The
most important thing, though, is that HE will be remembered fondly by each and every one of us. And, Breen, your friend will be waiting to greet you when it's your turn to leave this plain. You can take that to the bank!
Prayers to Russ and his family and friends - Joan P. '66
We spend precious hours fearing the inevitable. It would be wise to use that time adoring our families, cherishing our friends and living our lives! Maya Angelou
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Really sad to hear about Russ. We double dated a couple of times while in high school. I still remember him in the back seat of a new 4 seater Ford Thunderbird, that my boss let me use for a dance, with his date. As we keep saying where have the years gone and we should appreciate everyday we are here.
Nice guy I a sure he will be missed.
Ray Justinic
Jan 1966
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I feel like I knew Russ all the formative years of my life. As I recall he lived close to my home at 108th and St. Louis. He was in my Mt. Greenwood and Morgan Park high school pictures. He was a student I admired
because he was bright and aware of other student's feelings. I could see that. Now I wish I had been closer to his inner circle of friends. I'm sad to know he's gone. He was a friend and classmate. To Tom Breen, at the moment,
I can't think of anything worse than losing such a beloved, longtime friend.
Sharon Shepardson Avny
Class of 1966
Russ on the bottom right at a poker Game. I recalled I had one from a Hi-Y retreat at Lake Forest College in 1965(?)... He is explaining the game to someone it looks like. Also in picture is Jim Seamon's back... Billy Schneider... and Dave Crask and some unknowns...
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Great guy. We miss you, Russ
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