2018     Merry Christmas      2018

This year, 2018 has been our Legacy year. We made a trip to Wash DC in May for our oldest grandson Joe Russell's graduation from George Mason University in Fairfax VA. In September we celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary at our home with just family over for a backyard BBQ. We drove the Vette to Colorado Springs in October for Pat's 50th anniversary reunion from the Air Force Academy. It was a super event with 644 classmates and guests attending, plus AF beat Navy 35 to 7. Pat received many thanks for being www.usafa68.org webmaster.

Sadly, in June, we lost Pat's mother, Marybelle Russell at age 95. She was the last of our parents to leave us. She lived by herself in the family home right to the end. We had a beautiful funeral Mass for her at her parish church, St. Viator's and burial in the Veterans Cemetery in Boulder City under the In Memory Marker of husband James Russell.

Nita enjoyed 4 weeks from mid-June to mid-July at a woman's health and wellness spa, Green Mountain at Fox Run in Ludlow VT. Pat stayed home and sharpened up on his many retirement skills.

Daughter Kathy stays busy at Nathan Adelson Hospice for three 12 hour night shifts per week. Nita and Kathy enjoy the events at the fantastic Smith Center in downtown Las Vegas and Kathy went with us back to Wash DC for Joe's graduation. Pat and Kathy braved the rainy DC weather to visit the major sights and both were impressed by the Holocaust museum.

Second son Andy, daughter-in-law Spon and their children, Naomi (11) in 6th grade, Jonah (8) in 3rd and Vance (3) will visit over the holidays. They are all super busy and doing well in school, scouts, music and taekwondo.

Jim's three children are doing great. Joe (23) worked on a mid-term election campaign in Tucson & will be going back to the DC area for work. Katie (21), a junior at George Mason, spent the summer working in Homer, Alaska at Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge and will be in Mexico for next semester. Steve (17), a junior at Brophy Prep played on the football and rugby teams so far this year. He is very interested in sports.

We will be going on a Caribbean cruise out of New Orleans in January with a large group of Corvette folks from all over. We hope to take some short road trips throughout the West next year. We're starting our tenth year in this home and hope to get some improvements done.

If you are planning a trip to the Las Vegas area - call and come visit!

Wishing you a memorable Holiday season!
Pat & Nita
2019    Happy New Year      2019