James E. 'Jim' Russell, 86
James E. ‘Jim’ Russell, 86, of Rockville, Maryland, passed away on Thursday, June 20, 2019.
He was the beloved husband of 63 years to Virginia “Ginny” Russell; loving father of Jim Russell and the late Debi Russell; dear brother of Bonnie Boettger, Ross Russell, John Russell, Vivian Hooper, and the late Dave Russell. Jim is also survived by many other loving relatives and friends.
Jim was born in Sandpoint, Idaho, on March 23, 1933, to Alex and Mae Russell, where he grew up as one of six children. He played multiple sports at Sandpoint High School and graduated third in his class in 1951.
In 1952, he enrolled in engineering at the University of Idaho assisted by an academic and citizenship scholarship. Upon graduation in 1956, received an Army commission, married Ginny, and was stationed at Redstone Arsenal, where his son and daughter were born in 1957 and 1959, respectively. From 1957-1960, Russell served as an Army officer at the Redstone Arsenal Guided Missile School in Huntsville, Alabama, where he directed 75 instructors teaching missile guidance and propulsion courses for U.S. and foreign military personnel. He established the first military course in transistors and Werner Von Braun’s missile experts participated in the course.
He worked for the Operations Research Office, John Hopkins University, a federal contract research center in 1960 and then from 1961-1972, for the Research Analysis Corporation in McLean, Virginia. In 1972 when Congress directed that RAC be sold, Jim led a team of 20 analysts to join Science Applications International Corporation, which then was a small employee-owned science and engineering company of 90 people. For over 30 years as senior vice president for corporate development, he provided leadership in growth of the company to $6 billion in annual revenue in markets such as defense, health care systems, transportation, law enforcement, energy and environment. In 2004, he transitioned to a consulting employee and has continued to help SAIC grow to $11 billion in annual revenue by 2012. From 2004 to the present as an independent consultant, senior advisor and private investor, Jim has assisted over 100 innovative technology companies in their development and growth.
The Russell family moved to Rockville in 1960 and he was active in local sports. He coached youth baseball, basketball, and served as commissioner of the Rockville Football League. He was an avid tennis player and golfer. He owns a vacation home on the Pend Oreille River near Sandpoint, where he enjoyed fishing with his brothers and many other activities with family and friends.
Family and friends will be received at Pumphrey’s Colonial Funeral Home, 300 W. Montgomery Ave., Rockville, on Thursday, June 27, from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. A service will be celebrated on Friday, June 29 at 10 a.m., at the funeral home. Interment will follow at Parklawn Memorial Park. A celebration of life will be held in Sandpoint at a date, time, and location to be announced in the future.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jim’s name to Leukemia & Lymphoma Society at https://donate.lls.org/lls/donate. Please view and sign the family guestbook at pumphreyfuneralhome.com.