Michael Russell:
CLASS OF 1978
Eastridge High SchoolClass of 1978
Kankakee, IL
Michael's Story
Life
I joined the Navy in 1979 and departed Kankakee. I really liked the Navy and the lifestyle and opportunities it allowed me, so I made the Navy my career. During my 20 years of active duty, I lived all around the world and traveled to a good portion of the rest. I was stationed in Florida for my basic military training, and then had my first assignment in Italy. In Italy I provided direct support to submarines that were forward deployed. After sunny Italy and sea duty I was ready for a change and chose Guam for a chance to work in the Naval aviation community. When my tour of duty in Guam was up, I was lucky enough to be stationed in the Philippines and work with the surface and submarine Navy again. Duty in Connecticut at the Submarine school followed where I was an Instructor in Electronic Warfare. With the end of the cold war and assignments to submarine duty hard to get I was offered the chan...Expand for more
ce to go to Scotland and duty at a communication facility where my youngest child was born. My last tour before retirement was at a small naval base in Maine. When it came time to retire from the Navy I couldn't decide where I wanted to live but always thought of Colorado. During my travels and temporary duty assignments I had visited Colorado and really enjoyed my time there so Colorado is where I settled, after careful consideration and conversations with my wife Lisa whom I meet while home in Kankakee on leave in 1986. (thanks to a former classmate Kevin Scott and his wife Teri). I married Lisa in December 1991 before my assignment to Scotland. I continued to live and work in Colorado as an engineer for the government until May 2021 when I retired after another 22 years of serving my nation.
We currently live a simple retired life in Chrisman Illinois a town located between Paris and Danville.
Register for Free to view all details!
Reunions
Photos
