Jerry Russell '65

inda & I married in 1967, finished at UT Austin, moved to Houston, went to graduate school at UH, taught school, worked at Randall's, had our own stores for 13 years, sold out, went to work in industrial supply business, and now slowing down working part-time. We have both been discussion leaders in Bible Study Fellowship for many years, teach Sunday School, and stay very active in church and BSF. We started out our marriage being very adventurous and curious about this world God has given us, and we continue to explore it. We have seen some very interesting places and events in our life together, and now we are privileged to share these adventures with Kevin, Shelley, and Chloe. We still follow the Texas Longhorns, and go to the football games...I still read a great deal, mostly biographies and Biblical commentaries, but also read one book each year that was part of our high school literature (now reading Great Expectations). It is amazing how much I missed back then. We have moved a number of times, as we bought and sold houses an average of about every 7 or 8 years. We now live at Bunker Hill and IH-10, and really love the location; but will probably end up living close to downtown Houston at some point. I listen to Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan mostly...go see them in concerts with Kevin...but also listen to a variety of artists including some really great Christian artists. Music is still a large part of my life. We have spent the last 5 years focusing on care of our parents...my dad died in 1995; Linda's mom died of ALS in September, 2008; Linda's dad died January, 2009; and my mother died March 8, 2010. It was a very difficult journey, as they required a lot of attention. Sometimes we miss the opportunities we once had to take care of them...phone calls, hospitals, doctors, and all the things that go with elder care. Many of you will remember my mother, who taught 3rd grade at Oak Forest. Our parents were special, and part of a very special generation. The question at the bottom of this box is "What have you been up to since 1965?" I haven't really said everything, because I'm more interested in what I will be up to after 2010. God is a great God because He doesn't show us the future. We are looking forward to the future He holds for us.

Mabel Clapp. I will never forget her. First major assignment was to write paper on famous American History personality. I chose Benjamin Franklin. In those days I had lots of pride in my ability to change wording from sources to make it look like my original work. She handed back the papers in class one Friday, and mine had not a mark on it - until the last page. There, in bold red ink, was a huge "F" - first time in my life I had ever seen one personally. Then in smaller script, she wrote "Taken from Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume VII, pp 1093-1102 (or something like that...not sure on page details). This is plagiarism, and I do not accept this type of work." I took that lesson with me the rest of my life...especially to the University of Texas, where Mabel Clapp had historical papers of her own published and housed at this University. I have other memories, but this one has really impacted my thought processes.