Born on Oct 8, 1940 in Tiskilwa Illinois. Passed away on November 13, 2019 in Longboat Key, FL
Dan was the son of Francis Swain Russell, owner of Russell Cattle Company and Clare Breen Russell, writer and columnist at the Tiskilwa weekly newspaper.
He graduated from Tiskilwa High School in 1958, a 120 person school in town of 800. His first taste of success came when he started on the high school basketball team that made it to the Illinois basketball super sectional. Dan then attended Notre Dame and University of Miami for his undergraduate degrees and received his MBA in Hospital Administration from Washington University in St Louis.
His career took him from Presbyterian St Luke’s Health System in Chicago to St Joseph in Phoenix, to Franciscan Health System in Tacoma to Philadelphia where he was an essential factor in the creation and CEO of Catholic Health East. Dan retired while at CHE, which is the largest faith based health care system on the east coast with health institutions and facilities from Maine to Miami.
Dan played a major role in the formation of Global Health Ministry, within CHE, whose mission is to recruit and send teams of healthcare professionals to areas in Latin America & the Caribbean to provide professional healthcare and education to people with little or no access to these resources. Dan participated in many mission trips and served on their Board of Directors. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Catholic Health Association of the United States for his ability to inspire and mentor professionals in Catholic healthcare whose accomplishments, over the course of his career, have strengthened the ministry.
Family, however, was everything to Dan and he and Jackie gathered their four children and eight grandchildren together as often as possible. He was the most generous husband, father and “Pop”. Beyond education, vacation, gifts etc, he showered his family with constant love, support and valuable advice. He was a true role model and mentor and his lessons, generosity and faith will live on forever in his beloved family.
Dan leaves his loving wife of 53 years, Jackie Russell; son Dan Russell, wife Margaret and children Andrew and Ella; son Jason Russell, wife Jennifer and daughter Clare; son Josh Russell, wife Caden and children Louisa and Charlie; daughter Maggie Russell LeFevour, husband Conor and children Fiona, Danny and Coco.
Dan also leaves his two sisters, Paula Hart and Susan Russell Freeman and his brother-in law Mark Williams. Preceded in death by his father, Francis; mother, Clare; brother, Patrick.
The funeral will be held on Saturday, November 23 at 10:30 at St. Mary's of the Sea, 4280 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key Florida. There will be a luncheon immediately following the mass at Zota, in Longboat Key (4711 Gulf of Mexico Dr.). If people would like to honor Dan please contribute to the Boys and Girls Club of Manatee County. The Russells have been supporters of this wonderful organization over the years. Someone is matching all donations, so if you chose to give, please specify "honoring Dan Russell".
