Marvin Winfred Russell

Dr. Marvin Winfred Russell, 96, found peace at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, May 22, 2024. He died in his sleep after several weeks of failing health.

Marvin was born on August 26, 1927, in the thriving small town of Poole Ky, the first of five children of William Alvie Russell and Edna Lorene Brown Russell. He grew up enjoying a large extended family living in Poole and the surrounding countryside as a member of the General Baptist Church congregation.

He attended grade school through high school in the Poole school system. In December of 1944, his last term in High school, he entered the army and after basic training was sent to Ohio State University to prepare for joining the engineering corp. A particularly hard course in physics challenged him and started his life-long passion for science and his career as a physicist. After completing his service in the army, he began his studies at WKU on the GI bill and completed his BS degree in Physics in 1950. During this time, on Aug. 30, 1948, he married Nancy Ruth Pritchett. Continuing his studies at the University of Florida, he and Nancy, moved to Gainesville FL where he received both his MS and PhD degrees in Physics by 1954. After completing his degrees, their then growing family returned to Kentucky where he began his professional career as a research engineer at the General Electric Plant in Owensboro (1954-1961). During this time, he also taught Physics as an adjunct faculty member of Kentucky Wesleyan College. In 1961, encouraged by colleagues, he joined the research staff of Kaman Corparation in Colorado Springs, CO for a short but impactful time for the family. After this, in 1963, he returned to Kentucky joining the faculty at Western Kentucky University (1963-1993) and soon became the Head of the department of Physics and then the Dean of the Ogden College of Science. While Dean, he contributed to the beginnings of many of the science and engineering programs that thrive today at WKU. After stepping down as Dean, Marvin worked on science education in primary schools to help prepare the next generation of scientists in Kentucky. During his career he particularly enjoyed hosting visiting speakers including science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, the ‘father’ of the hydrogen bomb, Dr. Edward Teller, and Dr. Ted Fujita, who developed the Fujita scale for tornados.

In retirement, Marvin and Nancy enjoyed traveling, bird watching, and spending time with grandchildren until Nancy, his devoted wife of 57 years, passed away in 2005. Since then, he remained active in farming, fishing, and traveling as long as his health allowed. He finally settled at the Western Kentucky Veterans Center in Hanson Ky. While traveling, he was often joined by Bobbie Smith who became a close and enduring friend. They shared many adventures. She remained his closest friend and through the grace of God was there with him to support and comfort him as he passed.

Marvin is preceded by his parents William Alvie Russell and Edna Lorene Brown Russell, wife Nancy Ruth Pritchett Russell, brother Jimmy Lee Russell, and sister Dorothy Jean DeGraffenried.

He is also survived by his two sisters, Anna Lorene Cole, and Linda Christine Link, his devoted children, Dr. Mark Stephen Russell and his wife Suzanne of Hot Springs AR, Sayra Russell Adkins and her husband Bill, of Blythewood SC, Dr. Dwight Pritchett Russell and his wife Caroline of Waco TX, and William Kelly Russell and his wife Carolyn of Denver CO., Eight grandchildren: Wesley, Stephen, Mark, Eric, Amy, David, Lauren and Will. Six great grandchildren: Hudson, Connor, Rhiannon, Michael, Alden and Anson.

Many thanks go out the staff at the Western Kentucky Veterans Center for their wonderful care of Marvin in his last years.

Services will be held on Saturday June 8, 2024 at 1:00 PM at Shady Grove General Baptist Church in Poole, KY.

Rev. Russell Cole and Rev. Gene Cole will officiate.

Burial will follow in Shady Grove Cemetery.

Visitation will be on Friday June 7 from 5:00 PM until 7:00 PM at Tomblinson Funeral Home in Henderson, KY and Saturday June 8 from 11:00 AM until service time at Shady Grove General Baptist Church.

Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the Dr. Marvin W. Russell Scholarship Fund and can be sent online using the link,

https://alumni.wku.edu/russell

Or mailed to the following address,

Dr. Marvin W. Russell Scholarship Fund, c/o College Heights Foundation, 1703 Chestnut St., Bowling Green, KY 42101