John Robert Russell III

Visitation will be Thursday, January 15, 2015: 12:00- 2:00 P.M. at First Methodist Church.

Mr. Russell passed away Monday January 12, 2015 at Athens Limestone Hospital.

He was born September 24, 1941 in Limestone County, to John Robert Russell, Jr. and Mary Edna Ruth Russell.

Mr. Russell graduated from AHS in 1959. After service in the Army Air National Guard, he graduated from Athens College with BS in biology. John completed his Master’s degree in environmental biology at Tenn Tech University, and his post master studies at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. After completing graduation, he taught biology, anatomy and physiology at Athens College and UAH. He retired from Calhoun Community College with 35 years of teaching experience. He did four summer fellowships with NASA for science professors. The first fellowship was at Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX in the summer of 1969. He worked in the lunar lab for the Apollo II moon landing. He did one other fellowship in Houston and two in Huntsville at the Marshall Space Center.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon, daughter, Mary Beth Jackson, son, John R. Russell IV (Gia), grandchildren, Trent Jackson, Mitch Russell and Caroline Russell, brother, Thomas Russell (Peggy) and sister, Jane Russell, and several nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers make memorials to First Methodist Church in Athens or the charity of your choice.