James ‘Jim’ Russell

James (Jim) F. Russell of Hamilton, Montana, passed away peacefully on June 7, 2023. He died in his home on a beautiful afternoon with his wife and daughter beside him.

Jim was born in Queens, New York, on Sept. 4th 1944. In his early 20’s, he moved from New York to CA. and was drawn to San Diego where he could be near the ocean. After working on fishing boats for awhile, he eventually bought a little sail boat and took up the craft of sailing and scuba diving. Later he moved to the town of Escondido. Among his many accomplishments were master plastering, leading him to do special mold work on various hotels in San Diego. Other talents were home building, hypnotism, and Martial Arts. After hard work and practice, he became a Black Belt in Taekwondo.

A few years after meeting his wife, Mary, together they founded the Hypnosis Training Institute of San Diego. Jim acquired a special distinction as a Hypnotherapist and he and Mary taught classes in Adult Education for many years. Jim’s interests spread to aviation where he obtained a pilot’s license, bought a small plane, and he and Mary flew all around the United States, Canada, Baja California, and many of the islands off the U.S. coasts.

In mid-life he and Mary moved to Conner, Montana, where he enjoyed hunting and fishing, built spec houses, became an electrician, and eventually created Jim Russell’s Electrical Exam Training. His training seminars were well-known around Montana and surrounding states. Jim helped many an electrician pass their exam. Jim also was a favorite speaker at the Sunday Museum Series in Hamilton.

Years later, Jim built their dream home and he and Mary moved to Hamilton where they have lived for the last 17 years, enjoying the beauty of the valley. He became a Mason at Hamilton Ionic Lodge 38 and in 2014, served as Worshipful Master. He felt it was a great honor to serve.

In the last few years of his life Jim and Mary were members of Socrates Cafe and The Quantum Group of the Bitterroot. He especially enjoyed the intellectual stimulation and friendship of those groups.

Jim’s outstanding characteristics were his dynamic personality, his sense of adventure, his creative talents, generosity, and love for his family.

Jim is survived by his wife Mary, his daughter Michelle Eckert of Missoula, his two grandchildren, Bobby and Jake Eckert, his sisters, Lorraine and Joyce, his step-children Lynn, Robert, Katherine, Carey, Nick, and first wife, Patricia Howard.