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(June 28, 2001, Gazette)

The Honourable Frederick William Russell
The Honourable Frederick William Russell, O.C., K. St. J., C.D., LL.D., former chair of the Board of Regents and an honorary graduate of Memorial University, passed away June 20 in St. John’s. Frederick Russell was born in St. John’s, studied at Holloway School and Prince of Wales College in St. John’s and at Dalhousie University, Halifax, and the Atlantic School for Advanced Business Administration in Halifax. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 and trained in Canada as a pilot. He served in Britain, France and Holland as a Mosquito night fighter pilot. In 1949, he was a founding member of the Air Cadet Movement in Newfoundland. He retired as a Wing Commander, Royal Canadian Air Force Reserve.

In 1992, he was appointed Honorary Colonel of 103 Rescue Unit in Gander, Newfoundland, and in 1995 he was appointed Honorary Colonel of 5 Wing, Goose Bay, and 9 Wing, Gander. He was president of a number of companies in St. John’s including Blue Peter Steamships Limited, Terra Nova Motors Limited and the Cruiseship Authority of Newfoundland and Labrador. He served as a member of the board of National Sea Products Limited, Halifax, for 17 years. He was a director of the Atlantic Pilotage Authority (1971-75), a member of the Newfoundland Labour Relations Board for 35 years; a director of the Newfoundland Employers Labour Relations Council (1974-83); a director of the Canadian Industrial Renewal Board, Montreal, (1983-87); a member and then chairman of the Board of Regents, Memorial University (1961-83).

He was appointed a director of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Moncton, in 1986, and became vice-chairman of that board in 1990. He was a founding member of St. James United Church (1959), St. John’s; president of the Newfoundland Board of Trade (1960); a member of the executive committee of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce (1967-72); chairman of the United Church School Board (1974-82).

In 1976, he received an honorary doctorate of law from Memorial University. He was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada in 1979 and an Officer of the Order of Canada in 1999. He served as Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland from November 1991 to February 1997.