Gerard Edwin Russell's Obituary
Gerard Edwin Russell, age 78, passed away on March 11, 2022, at his home due to
heart failure. He was born on July 7, 1943, in Summit, New Jersey, and he was the
beloved son of Marie Beatrice Pollio and John Gerard Russell, both of whom
preceded him in death. Gerard, or Gerry as he was nicknamed, never married and
is survived only by his younger sister, Janet Ross Russell Wells of Mobile, Alabama.
Gerard graduated from Red Bank High School in Red Bank, New Jersey in June
1961 and entered Stevens Institute of Technology the same year. After attending
Stevens, he attended Newark College of Engineering and finally the University of
Utah.
Gerard worked for Kennecott Copper Corporation in Salt Lake City as a laboratory
technician for a brief time. He fell in love with Utah and resided in Salt Lake City
for the remainder of his years. While living in Utah, he worked for Zions Bank, the
University of Utah, and retired from his job at the State of Utah where he worked
for over 30 years.
Gerard was an avid sports fan with his chosen sport being baseball. As a boy, he
and his father would attend Yankee games whenever possible. He never lost
interest in his favorite sport and accumulated a sizeable collection of baseball
memorabilia along with an enviable collection of authentic baseball hats. He was
affectionately called the “baseball encyclopedia” by his many friends because he
could accurately cite so many baseball facts and statistics. He was a successful
coach of youth baseball for years while in Utah winning many tournaments, and
he really enjoyed encouraging young people to love the sport as much as he did.
It was Gerard’s wish to be cremated and to have his ashes scattered in the
beautiful mountains of Utah which he so loved.
What’s your fondest memory of Gerard?
What’s a lesson you learned from Gerard?
Share a story where Gerard's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Gerard you’ll never forget.
How did Gerard make you smile?