Thomas Russian ’68

Thomas Russian ’68 died on May 6, 2015, at home in Orland Park, Illinois. He attended Reavis High School in nearby Burbank and was recruited to play football at Dartmouth. He separated his shoulder freshman year and switched his athletic focus to baseball and rugby, where he continued to excel. A history major, Tom joined Chi Phi (now Chi Heorot) and led its sports program into the top echelon of fraternity intramurals. Following graduation Tom earned a law degree from the John Marshall Law School in Chicago. By 1984 he had become a partner in the Burr Ridge law firm of Goldstine, Skrodzki, Russian, Nemec and Hoff, managing its real estate practice and earning an Illinois Super Lawyers designation. He served on numerous boards of directors and was a volunteer youth soccer coach for many years. An avid golfer, he loved Chicago’s sports teams, particularly the White Sox. Tom and his freshman roommate Jim Noyes got the ball rolling in 2002 for what became an ongoing and highly anticipated annual Chi Phi get-together on Block Island, Rhode Island, and elsewhere. Tom was known for his upbeat approach to life, rich sense of humor, love of sports and an unpretentious genuineness he brought to Dartmouth from the south side of Chicago. A natural debater, he was passionate and knowledgeable about the things he believed in. He was “a man who led with his heart,” as one of his many friends put it. He is survived by his wife, Barbara, son David, sister Patricia and niece Anya.