Joel & Susan Russell

After a combined 90 years at Oakland University, Joel and Susan Russell have embraced a retirement filled with travel, outdoor adventure and a deep appreciation for the community that shaped their lives. Their story is one of professional dedication, shared purpose and a joyful transition into a new chapter – one that remains closely tied to OU.

When Professor Emeritus of Chemistry Joel Russell first arrived at Oakland University in 1966, he knew almost immediately that it was the right place for him. “I was looking for a school where they valued research but valued teaching just as much,” he recalls. At the time, only a few thousand students walked the campus, but OU was already building a reputation for attracting outstanding faculty and promising students.

Over his five decades at Oakland University, Joel did both: teach and conduct research. Early on, he focused on vibrational spectroscopy research. Later, he developed the innovative educational software, Synchronized Multimedia Visualizations of Chemistry. This work earned him recognition from both national and international colleagues.

Beyond the classroom, Joel was deeply involved in faculty governance. He served multiple terms as president of the faculty union and sat on numerous university committees. He also helped establish the Department of Chemistry’s seminar series and taught a freshman honors course for many years. As he puts it simply: “Working with students, seeing new faces every year and helping them develop their own research was the greatest joy.”

Susan Russell spent nearly 40 years at Oakland University, primarily serving as secretary to the dean of the School of Health Sciences. She remembers the early days of OU vividly: “I watched the university being built from the ground up, that’s when my family moved to Rochester. I loved every minute of working there,” she says.

Susan witnessed the school’s expansion from a small number of programs to a vibrant, comprehensive unit. Her role included coordinating proposals, supporting deans and faculty and working closely with generations of student assistants; many of whom she still keeps in touch with today. She also served as president of the clerical union, reflecting the same spirit of campus engagement that defined Joel’s career.

Their paths crossed often – first as colleagues, then as friends and ultimately as partners. They married in 1998, blending their families and their longstanding connection to OU.
To commemorate Joel’s 50 years of service, Susan arranged for a bench to be dedicated in his honor. The bench sits between the Kresge Library and the Oakland Center; one of the campus’s most-traveled walkways. “I thought he deserved something special,” Susan says. “Fifty years is remarkable.”

The Russells also endowed a scholarship in chemistry, a permanent gift supporting future generations of students and maintaining their lifelong connection to the university.

Today, the Russells live in a vibrant 55-plus community in Florida, where they enjoy an active lifestyle. They walk daily and participate in water aerobics six days a week; a routine they’ve kept for years. Their community offers dozens of weekly fitness classes and both take advantage of the warm climate and outdoor spaces.

Hiking remains another shared passion. For many years they traveled annually to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, often hiking twice a day. They’ve slowed their pace slightly but still make time to get outside whenever they can.

Susan enjoys cooking for Joel, who says he has never had same meal twice. An avid gardener, she tends to an array of herbs and tropical plants she couldn’t grow in Michigan. “I love the outdoors,” she adds. “And I love keeping busy.”

Travel has become a defining part of their retirement. Cruises, especially, have taken them around the world from the Yangtze River to Russia and the Baltic countries, Norway, the Amazon, Antarctica, Alaska, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. Joel has visited all 50 states and seven continents. Susan will visit her seventh continent this winter. 

Their adventures are often punctuated with memorable stories: penguins that wander right up to visitors, Northern Lights over Norwegian skies and even a chance encounter with the wife of Turkey’s Minister of Defense during an overseas trip.

Upcoming itineraries include an extended cruise along the west coast of Africa and another journey through the Pacific – touching Singapore, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and northern Australia.

“We like new places,” Joel says. “We don’t repeat many trips. There’s so much to see.”
Between them, the Russells share six children, 15 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Though their family is spread across the Midwest and England, they remain connected through visits, holidays and stories shared across time zones.

Both Joel and Susan speak warmly of their years at OU. They remember the students, the camaraderie among faculty and staff and the sense of shared purpose that characterized the university’s early decades.

Susan recalls watching OU President Donald O’Dowd (1970-1979) sledding on cafeteria trays with students; an image that still makes her laugh. Joel remembers the lively faculty lunches where ideas bounced freely across disciplines. They both describe OU as a place filled with energy, promise and people who cared deeply about education.

“There were so many smart students and there still are,” Susan says. “They were special and I had the best job in the world. I’d go back in a heartbeat.”

For the Russells, retirement is not a slowing down, it’s a continuation of the curiosity, engagement and joy that shaped their OU careers. Whether walking their community, planning a cruise, cooking a new dish or tending to a garden, they have embraced this stage of life with enthusiasm.

Their time at Oakland University lives on through a dedicated bench, an endowed scholarship in chemistry and the countless students and colleagues whose lives they touched.
And as they look ahead to their upcoming travels and family milestones, one thing remains clear: their story - like their partnership - continues to grow, evolve and inspire.