Submitted by: Dan Rich

Russell Woodrow Rothermel

Nov. 30, 1913 - Jan. 27, 2002

South Bend Tribune 1/30/2002

RICHMOND, IND. — Russell Woodrow Rothermel, 88, formerly of South Bend, Ind., died of cancer and related complications on Sunday, Jan. 27, in his retirement home, the Friends Fellowship Community, 2030 Chester Blvd.

He was born in Fountain City, Ind., on Nov. 30, 1913, to William M. and Wilhelmena Schlonaker Rothermel. He resided in the Richmond area for his first 21 years, in South Bend for 44 years, in Three Rivers, Mich., for 15 years and in the Richmond area again for the past eight years.

Born a Quaker, he has been a member of the Church of the Larger Fellowship - Unitarian/Universalist. His hobbies include gardening, fly-fishing, bridge, and following his favorite sports teams.

He was a graduate of Fountain City High School in 1931 and Earlham College in 1935, and played basketball for both of those schools. He later received his MS degree in education from Indiana University.

A career educator and administrator for 44 years, he was a math teacher and coach at Lincoln School from 1935-40 before becoming a math teacher and assistant basketball coach at John Adams High School. At Adams, he became athletic director, assistant principal, and was its principal from 1951 to 1967. He later served as an assistant superintendent for the South Bend schools. He served on many professional and community committees and boards. A personal highlight of his professional activities was an overseas assignment in 1965 to evaluate ten military base dependent high schools in the North Atlantic for the North Central Association of Secondary Schools. He was an active member of the Rotary Clubs in South Bend, Three Rivers and Richmond.

His second wife of two years, and grade school classmate, Martha Lacey Rothermel, and the family of her late son, Stuart Thomas, survive him. He is also survived by a daughter, Gaynelle Winograd of Colorado Springs, Colo.; two sons, Dennis Rothermel of Chico, Calif., and Terry Rothermel of Concord, Mass.; and by five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Adella Edna Rothermel, and by two sisters and three brothers.

There will be no public funeral service or visitation. Following cremation and subsequent interment in Fountain City, there will be a private family memorial service at a later date.

Memorials may be made to Earlham College, National Road West, Richmond, IN 47341-4095; the Scholarship Fund of St. Joseph County, P.O. Box 1122, South Bend, IN 46624; to the American Cancer Society; or to a favorite charity.

Arrangements are being handled by Smith & McQuiston Funeral Home, Fountain City.