Jim Russell was born (an only child) and reared in Rochester New York but traveled to Stillwater Oklahoma to study and receive his degree (after much debate) in marketing. He was an ROTC graduate and served 4 years as an officer including one tour in the Republic of Vietnam. In between his military career, in 1966 he married Mary and they have been together for 56 years, at least. Together the two of them raised 5 children (Jeanine, Mark, Matthew, Christine and Tiffany). And these five have given them 13 grandchildren. Jim has been our Lecturer, Deputy Grand Knight, Grand Knight, Faithful Navigator for the 4th degree, Retention Director and he can be found at a multiple array of Knight activities. A gifted writer should be added to his list of skills. He demonstrates that skill every month with colorful and insightful lectures. He puts great time and effort into each article. No topic is really off limits, except maybe politics. Jim favors history, ancestry and patriotism. Some topics come to him while listening to a homily. All of his lectures are available here on the council website. His research and attention to detail in each lecture is beyond compare. He retired in 2011 after spending the previous 30 years with Northrup Grumman and Raytheon. Jim and wife Mary are as close to being parish “originals” without being originals; they first attended Mass at Holy Spirit during week 2 of its existence as a mission church, in the gym of Duncanville’s Central Elementary. Jim’s career revolved mostly around purchasing machine parts for military contractors – first LTV (Ling Tempco Vaught) and then Raytheon.