John Henry "Jack" Russell Passed away on March 15 at the age of 87. Born August 18, 1926 in San Jose to father John H. Russell and mother Hazel Mathews Russell. His father at age 18 was hired by A.P. Giannini, founder of Bank of Italy, later Bank of America at the second branch in San Jose. Jack and his brother Dick grew up in Saratoga, and were babysat by Olivia de Havilland and Joan Fontaine. Jack graduated from Fremont High School in Cupertino and served in World War II as an infantry sergeant for 26 months. He enrolled in San Jose State and entered the journalism school, becoming editor of the Spartan Daily newspaper. He was a member of Tao Delta, the Honor Society and co-founder of the first inter-racial fraternity at San Jose State. It was as a staff member of the Spartan Daily where he met the love of his life, Marion Summers, and they wed in 1951. Jack then worked for the San Jose Mercury Herald and the Mountain View Daily Register before joining the San Mateo Times in 1952. He served as Reporter, Editor, City Editor, Business Editor, News Editor, Acting Managing Editor and columnist of "Pen Types" before he retired in 1991. He served as Vice President of the San Francisco-Oakland Newspaper Guild. He was organization Chairman of the San Mateo County Council of Boy Scouts of America and a 10-gallon blood bank donor at the Peninsula Memorial Blood Bank. He was a member of the National Book Critics Circle, co-founder and first president of Peninsula Press Club where he served as president and director for 25 years. He was a member of the Canon Club of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival having seen every one of Shakespeare's plays numerous times. He was a member of Sons in Retirement Branch 90; the Swedish-American League, and the Carlmont Senior Writing center in San Carlos. He was a lector and 58 year member of Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Belmont. He is survived by his children Kevin Russell of Belmont, Valerie Russell of Seattle, Tracy Stoehr of San Mateo, and his grandchildren Caleb Hanscom of Santa Cruz, Catherine and William Stoehr of San Mateo. A funeral mass will be held at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Belmont on Friday, March 21st at 10:00am followed by a private interment. Due to Lent, no flowers please. A public visitation will also be held on Thursday, March 20 from 6:00pm-8:00pm at Crippen and Flynn Carlmont Chapel in Belmont.