Russell C. Crandall

Russell Carpenter Crandall, 54, treasured father, husband, brother, and teacher, passed away peacefully on February 20, 2026 after a prolonged illness.

Russell was born on Dec. 7, 1971 in San Mateo, CA to the late Janet F. Crandall and William W. Crandall. Preceded in death by his oldest brother Bill, he is survived by his wife, Britta; his sons, Nolan, Dane, and Eliot; his brothers Robert and John; and umpteen loving nephews and nieces.

Russell grew up in San Mateo, California. He craved adventure from a young age, fostered by his family’s relocation to Australia for two years when he was in elementary school. He chose to attend college in Maine - about the furthest point from his hometown, and graduated from Bowdoin College in 1994 with a degree in Government and Latin American Studies. He continued to get his master’s and PhD from Johns Hopkins, SAIS (School of Advanced International Studies). It was there where he met Britta, a fellow graduate student, whom he married in 2002.

Russell loved politics and was an insatiable reader of all things related to US foreign policy and global political history. His scholarly work focused on Latin America, and he authored or co-authored nine books covering US policy toward the region. His interest in and love for Latin America began in earnest after spending a year in Honduras working as a first-grade teacher after college. It continued through multiple iterations living and working in South America, including stints in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Russ adored Peruvian ceviche, Mexican tortas, any type of pupusa, and made a point of always finding the local ‘vampiro’ – beet and carrot juice best procured from any outdoor market. Russell was also an avid fan of Latin American authors, revealed by his home library with entire shelves dedicated solely to Mario Vargas Llosa and Gabriel García Márquez.

Russell was a runner and loved the outdoors. He ran cross country in high school and college and continued to run competitively well into his 40s. His favorite place to run was in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon, where he spent the bulk of his summers writing and spending time with family. For Russell, being in proximity to the river, biking and hiking trails, and old growth forests was heaven on earth.

He found his calling as a teacher and began his dream job as a college professor at Davidson College when he was 28 years old. Russell twice received teaching awards, and he had the opportunity to take three years of absence from teaching in order to pursue public service. During these leaves, he worked in the National Security Council and the Department of Defense. He always felt grateful for these experiences, to be able to bring policymaking to life in the classroom.

Russell was happiest living simply. He owned just two shirts and one pair of shoes when he first met Britta, preferred to put on another layer rather than ever turn up the heat, always chose homemade soup over fancy meals, and would have opted for a tent over a hotel any day. He loved watching professional sports, but his fiercest and longest-standing loyalty lay with the Davidson College basketball and baseball teams.

Russell loved being a dad. And he found the greatest meaning in sharing his joys with his three sons, whether that was fly-fishing, mountain biking, reading a book in front of the fireplace, or watching endless W.W.II documentaries. He prioritized honor over accomplishments, consistently reminding the boys that integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching. But above all, his greatest lesson to his entire family was the manner in which lived his own life each day, with never faltering optimism and grace.

Russell was deeply loved and will be profoundly missed.
A celebration of Russell’s life will be held on Saturday, March 21 at Davidson College Presbyterian Church at 1 p.m. All are welcome.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the Bowdoin Public Service Initiative. A link to this will be forthcoming.