James Stewart Russell ’34

Jim Russell, West Coast representative of Random House book publishers until his retirement in 1976, died Dec. 11, 1997, after a seven-year bout with Alzheimer's.

Although he left Princeton ("with regret," as he wrote) in 1932, he held the class in high esteem. As he wrote from California prior to our 50th reunion, "I won't be with you guys next June ('34 seems a long way off, both in time and geography), but certainly want to add this faint cry that it's a swell gang. Best to all!"

Jim joined Random House shortly after Bennett Cerf and some associates started it and before WWII, when he served in Europe with the XIII Corps Artillery. He had "had tries at department store selling, the CCC, Billy Rose's Aquacade, United Fruit (unloading bananas), Wall Street," without notable success. When Random House "took a chance on me...I soon fell in love with the firm....Book publishing was a ball."

Jim was married in 1943 to Leonore "Le" Upham (California '39), "the just-right girl from a fine old California family," who survives. Also surviving are two sons, a daughter, and five grandchildren. To them we offer sincere sympathies.

The Class of 1934