Russell was born in Charleroi, PA to Frank Russell and Jennie Guzzi Costanza on September 9, 1936. He married Rose Marie Koval Costanza on July 1, 1961, in Monessen, Pa. Russ was well known and respected in his community. Russell was a member of Valley Hill Country Club where he enjoyed playing golf. He was also President of the Country Club for several terms.
Russell joined the United States Navy at age 17 and worked his way to a prominent position at White Sands Missile Range where he designed and tested missile guidance systems. He was awarded several medals including an excellent conduct medal. After leaving the military with an Honorable Discharge, he attended and graduated from West Virginia University, Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering (BSEE) degree in 1962. He began his civilian career as an Electrical Design Engineer for Boeing Corp. in Seattle, Washington where he also graduated from Seattle University Magna Cum laude with a master’s in electrical engineering. In 1967, he moved his family to Huntsville, Alabama where he took a position at Space Craft Inc. (SCI) where he eventually became Senior Vice President of Engineering. In his 11 years at SCI, Russ’s engineering group designed mission-critical electronics that flew the Apollo lunar landing module used in the NASA moon missions. In 1978, he began working at Universal Data Systems (UDS) which was acquired by Motorola. After 11 years as Senior Executive Vice President of Engineering, he retired to spend time with his family in Huntsville, Alabama and Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Russell is preceded in death by Frank Russell and Jenny Costanza. He is survived by wife Rose Marie, children; Vince, Sharon, and Mike, sisters; Joan Shafer and Carolyn Valkanas, grandchildren; Nicolas, Olivia, Anthony, Joseph, and Johnny.
Funeral services will be held on June 3, 2020, at Kraeer Funeral Home in Pompano Beach, FL at 11:00 am with the Reverend Bernard Pecaro of St. Martin’s Episcopal Church, officiating.
