Obituary of Kenneth S Russell

Kenneth S. Russell passed away on April 7, 2017. Ken was born on July 18, 1928 in Marion, Utah. He was the son of John Russell and Ethelyn (Stevenson) Russell. He graduated from Jordan High School in Utah in 1946. Following high school, he worked in Wyoming at a dude ranch, worked in sawmills and other farming opportunities for a period of several years. During this time he supported one of his sisters on a Mormon mission. He was drafted into the Army in October 1950. He was given a hardship discharge when his father passed away so that he could return home and help support his mother and sisters. He worked again in various sawmills. It was during this time that he felt drawn to further his education and go to college. Ken attended a junior college in Boise, Idaho. He then graduated with a B.S. in Social Studies and Psychology from the University of Idaho in 1959. After receiving special training for high school counselors in Bellingham, Washington, he taught 8th grade general studies for two years. The next year he was ½ time teacher and ½ time counselor for a junior high school in Boise. He went back to school and completed his doctorate in Guidance and Counseling Psychology, earning an Ed.D. from the University of Idaho in 1967. He completed a one year post-doctoral study in Washington, DC at the U.S. Office of Education. Following that, he took the position of Director of Counseling Services at Towson State College in Baltimore in 1968. In 1973, he moved to Tucson, Arizona and was the Director of the Addiction Studies Program at the University of Arizona Health Sciences Center until 1978 when he left to take a position as the director of Education at the Fort Lyon Veterans Administration Hospital in Fort Lyon, Colorado. In 1982, he took a position as Director of the Cooperative Health Education Program at the Togus Veterans Administration Hospital in Augusta, Maine. Ken retired from the V.A. in 1992. He volunteered for many years with the Meals-on-Wheels program. In his retirement, he enjoyed working on many projects and greatly enjoyed snowmobiling in the winter. He helped many others as a psychologist, teacher, and friend. Ken was a wonderful man who was greatly loved by his family and friends. Ken was predeceased by his parents, his daughter Kenna, four sisters, and his brother. He is survived by his wife and best friend of 41 years, Susan Cross; his two daughters Shauna Russell of Washington, DC and Keri Vastine of Pueblo, CO; five grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; two sisters and many nieces and nephews. Friends and family are invited to attend an informal memorial gathering at Ken and Susan’s home on April 17th from 4:00-7:00pm. In lieu of flowers, family and friends are encouraged to make a donation in his memory to either one of the following services: MaineGeneral Hospice Services at https://give.mainegeneral.org/page.aspx?pid=375 or Independent Support Services through Catholic Charities at https://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/50949/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=10581