Russell B. Speed

Russell B. Speed 1915 - 2008 ADAMS Russell B. Speed, 93, of 82 East Road died Monday evening, following an extended illness, at North Adams Commons, where he had been a resident since Aug. 27. Born in Torrington, Conn., on Aug. 27, 1915, son of Russell and Daisy Mae Todt Speed, he was educated in Torrington and Springfield schools, and was a graduate of Springfield College. He enlisted in the Army during World War II and saw extensive combat service in North Africa, Sicily, Western Europe and the Battle of Bastogne. He was honorably discharged as a staff sergeant. Mr. Speed was employed by the former Brightwater Paper Co. of Adams and the Strathmore Paper Co. of Springfield. He retired from Brightwater Paper in 1990 after 35 years of service. His leisure hours were spent in his garden, caring for his beauteous irises and gladiolas. His major efforts were with the modeling and creation of railroads and their equipment, one of which took up every useable inch of his cellar along with the creation of railroad scenes around Adams, all of them in meticulous detail. He also assisted in fashioning displays which were used as magazine covers as well as helping to build the model railroad currently on display at the Heritage State Park Museum in North Adams. His beloved wife, the former Mae Todt, whom he married July 12, 1943, died Sept. 4, 1988. He leaves a son, Robert "Rusty" Speed of Adams; a sister, Betty Gaulden of Mesa, Ariz.; a niece, Karen (Ronald) Arthur of Hilton, N.Y.; a grandson, Jacob Speed of Adams, and a great-granddaughter, Lily Grace of Adams. He was predeceased by two brothers, Chester and Donald Speed. FUNERAL NOTICE: A funeral service will be offered Thursday at 11 a.m. at the MCBRIDE FUNERAL HOME, 6 Liberty St., with the Rev. William Duffe officiating. The family gratefully invites friends and associates to attend and a visitation period will be held prior to the funeral service from 9:30 to 11 a.m.