Obituary of Donald George Russell

Donald George Russell of Northport, passed away on September 24, 2023. He was the cherished son of Anna and the late Donald L. Russell. He was a loving brother of Roxanne Russell Weaver (Brendon), Rosemarie Schafer (Scott), and Elizabeth Bright (Paul Blaise). He was a dear uncle of Ryan, Kieran, & James Weaver; Nicole, Evan & Aidan Schafer; and Sally, Emma & Paul Bright. Born in Far Rockaway, New York in 1960, Don was a life-long resident of Northport and a parishioner of St. Philip Neri Catholic Church, where he made his first Holy Communion in 1968 and was confirmed in in 1975. Don attended Ocean Avenue Elementary School, Northport Junior High School, and was a 1978 graduate of Northport High School. Following high school, he graduated with his Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Stony Brook, and his MBA from C.W. Post University. He especially enjoyed traveling to his ancestral homeland of Germany, and studied at Schiller International University in Heidelberg, Germany during his college years. Don enjoyed playing basketball and long-distance bike riding, and rode his bike from Long Island to upstate New York numerous times, as well as throughout Europe.

Don enjoyed a career in the banking industry and in the last part of his career worked for the IRS. Don loved to travel, and he went on countless adventures all over Europe. Don was a faith-filled and humorous man who deeply loved his family, particularly his numerous nieces and nephews. He had a fantastic sense of humor and will be dearly missed.

Funeral Mass will be held Saturday, September 30, 2023, 9:30 am at St. Philip Neri Church, Main Street, Northport, NY. A private burial will follow at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brooklyn, NY. In lieu of flowers, donations in Don’s memory to Catholic Charities of Long Island, 90 Cherry Lane, Hicksville, NY 11801 would be appreciated.