Russell O. Litchfield

LITCHFIELD, RUSSELL O.
Russell O. Litchfield passed away at his home on March 17, 2008, after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. Russ was born to Millie Alice and Lewis Kelley Litchfield on January 9, 1924, in Meridian, Mississippi. When he was two, his father died. When his mother remarried, he acquired five stepbrothers and sisters. His mother and stepfather had five more children, a grand total of eleven. Russ attended elementary and high school in Mississippi. At nineteen, Russ was drafted into the army, serving in the North Africa campaign. While there he became extremely ill with a brain abscess and was given up for dead. He was treated with an experimental medicine, penicillin, and began to improve. Eventually he was transferred to Walter Reed Hospital in Washington D.C. where he served as an orderly until his discharge in 1945. He returned to Mississippi where he graduated from Meridian Junior College and attended the University of Mississippi. When he became ill again, he sought medical attention at the Veteran's Hospital in Topeka, Kansas. In Topeka, he received his BA degree from Washburn University, where he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. It was there that he met the love of his life, Jean Pantle. On June 7, 1952, he married Jean. The couple then moved to Denver, Colorado where Russ received his MA degree in Counseling and Guidance from the University of Denver. He began his career as guidance director for the Alliance, Nebraska school system. His son, Russell O. II was born there. Russ taught psychology in Kansas City, Kansas, where his daughter, Rebecca was born. In 1960, the family moved to Tulare, California, where Russ taught special education classes. The family moved to San Diego in 1963, where Russ taught until his retirement in 1989. After retirement, he continued substitute teaching for another ten years. Russ was an active member of All Saints Episcopal Church in San Diego. He was a member of Elks Lodge #168, a member of Masonic Lodges and Al Bahr Shrine in San Diego. He loved to write poetry and has been published in five poetry collections. Russ and Jean were great travelers, visiting countries on every continent except Antarctica. Russ is survived by his wife, Jean; his son, Russell Litchfield; his daughter, Rebecca, her husband, Gary Blevins, and three grandchildren, Chris, Holly and Garrett Blevins. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, April 4, 2008, at 11 a.m. at All Saints Episcopal Church, Pennsylvania and Sixth Ave., San Diego, CA 92103. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Shriners International Headquarters, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607 or the charity of your choice. Please sign the guest book at obituaries.uniontrib.com