Russell Bousquet

Russell Bousquet

1925-2009 PITTSFIELD Russell David Bousquet, a former long-time resident of Waverly Street, died Tuesday, November 10 at the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke of Alzheimer's disease. He was 84 years old.

Born in Pittsfield on May 19, 1925, son of Clarence Joseph Bousquet and Margaretha Louisa Lehmann Bousquet, he was a 1943 graduate of Pittsfield High School. He received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Bryant College in 1948 and his master's degree in education from Westfield State College in 1975. On April 22, 1950, he married Jean Carolyn May at the First Methodist Church in Pittsfield.

Throughout his life he continued his enthusiastic study of aeronautics that began as a teenager with a solo flight on his 16th birthday from Pittsfield Airport, making him the city's youngest pilot.

Accepted into the Navy V-5 program as an aviation cadet in 1943, he was first assigned to Williams College and then to pre-flight training in Athens, Georgia. He served in the Naval Reserve until 1960.

In 1948 Russ succeeded his father as manager of Bousquet Ski Area. From 1953 to 1956, he was joined by his younger brother Paul as co-manager. For 14 years, Russ was employed by May Engineering Company, first as manager of their auto parts division and later as vice-president.

Russ followed his calling through a midlife career change with an appointment to the faculty of the business department at Pittsfield High School, where he taught accounting for 26 years. He retired in 1995.

From 1975 to 2001 he was an adjunct faculty member of the business department at Berkshire Community College. Russ considered working with students - some struggling, others gifted and highly motivated - a constant joy and privilege.

A former active member of Zion's Evangelical Lutheran Church, Russ served as assistant Sunday school superintendent for ten years, was elected to the church council and, in 1984, co-wrote "An Historic View" for Zion's 125th anniversary celebration. He used many of his photographs and items from his ephemera collection as illustrations.

Russ was a volunteer in the early 1950s for the Parks and Recreation Department of Pittsfield as chairman of the Winter Sports Committee and co-chairman of the Halloween Parade Committee.

Inspired by his keen interest in natural science, he was a docent for 11 years at the Berkshire Museum, including three years as an outreach educator in the Pittsfield public and parochial schools, and two summers at the museum's Native American Day Camp at Canoe Meadows.

Among his other interests was hiking, especially with his son Woody, now a professor of environmental studies and biology at Shenandoah University in Winchester Virginia.

Also of particular pleasure were his early morning canoe trips with his wife and working with her to create miniature Christmas vignettes for the Berkshire Museum's Annual Festival of Trees.

He was a kind and gentle man who lived a life of love and service to his family, his friends, his students and his community.

During the often-frustrating years of his illness, the extraordinary guidance of The Memory Clinic in Bennington, Vermont proved to be blessings to Russ and his family. In the last 10 months of his illness, the exceptionally fine care of the Soldiers' Home in Holyoke, in cooperation with Noble Visiting Nurse and Hospice Services of Westfield, allowed him to leave us with peace and dignity.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years; his son Woodward and his wife Jennifer of Winchester, Virginia; two grandchildren, Caitlin of Alexandria, Virginia, and Benjamin of Winchester; his brother Paul of Woodstock, Vermont; a sister-in-law Marian May Herd of Pittsfield; and many beloved nieces, nephews, cousins, students and friends.

Memorial donations may be made to the Berkshire Museum's aquarium, to hospices here or in Westfield, or to the Alzheimer's Association in care of the Wellington Funeral Home, 220 East Street, Pittsfield, MA 01201.

A soldier's farewell ceremony took place in Holyoke on Tuesday. At his request, there will be no local visiting hours or memorial service. Friends and loved ones are invited to visit a natural place that is special to them and remember that, to Russ, the Berkshires were the most beautiful place to be. After cremation, burial will be private.