John Raymond Russell ’49 *66

John died Nov. 6, 2006, after a long illness. He was 78,

He prepared for Princeton at West End High School in Nashville, Tenn. He initially majored in English but left for Army service in Korea and Germany. Upon his return he switched his major to modern languages and literature, earning a Princeton Ph.D. in German in 1966. He was a member of Prospect Club, where he was the mountain tenor in the club’s popular folk-song group.

John began his teaching career in German at Wabash College in 1958 and then moved to SUNY at Stony Brook, from which he retired in 1997. At Stony Brook he led the development of computer-assisted instruction in German, published textbooks, and translated numerous 17th- and 18th-century German literary works. Also at Stony Brook, John served as an exchange professor in Westerstede, Germany, and Krakow, Poland. After retirement he continued to translate major German works into English. He also enjoyed philately.

John was predeceased by his wife, Beth. He is survived by a son, Evan; two daughters, Edith and Molly Ling; and three grandchildren. The class extends deepest sympathy to them on their loss of this fine educator.