Charles Russell Keep Jr. ’51

Charles Russell Keep Jr. ’51 died on March 21 at his home in Solebury, Pennsylvania. He was an enthusiastic admirer of Dartmouth professor of philosophy Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy, with whom he studied and whose views guided much of Russ’ life in the years that followed. Russ spent many years preserving for posterity Rosenstock-Huessy’s lectures, ultimately recording more than 300 hours of these works. He was among the founders of the Eugen Rosenstock-Huessy Fund, serving as its president and as president of the Rosenstock-Huessy Society of North America. While at Dartmouth, Russ met Nancy Garland Stotz, a teacher at Hanover High School. They were married in 1954 and had seven children. Nancy shared in Russ’ work and life until her death. After graduation Russ attended Harvard Law School, but left after a year and a half. He spent four years as an assistant advertising executive at Benton and Bowles in New York City. But his heart was in less conventional work that put into practice the teachings of his mentor. He was a farm manager at the earliest and one of the largest organic farms in the United States, in Newtown, Pennsylvania; established the first strictly organic food store in New York City; and created organic food cooperatives on the East Coast. Later he was a systems analyst and center director at a Job Corps center in Maine, director of general education focused on increased attainment of GED diplomas at a New Jersey Job Corps center, and director of adolescent services at Children’s Aid and Adoption Society in New Jersey. Russ is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, eight children (including Marcus ’80), and seven grandchildren.