Russell DePue was born on January 31, 1939 and died on February 21, 1963, at age 24.  Russell was the brother of our classmate Glenn DePue, who wrote this notice on behalf of his brother:

As many of you know, Russell was a home-bound student, having contracted Polio when he was 10 years old.  The teachers would send his lessons home with me, he would finish them and send them back.  At times, a few teachers would hold classes in our home and some of you attended.  These were the highlights of Russell's high school days and I want to thank every one of you who participated -- from the bottom of my heart.

Since he couldn't attend a college, he took a correspondence course for tax accounting and that's what he did, from home, until he passed away in February, 1963, of the flu.  Polio ruined his body (when he died, he weighed 37 pounds) but his brain was in excellent condition.  He graduated in the top 10% of our class (I graduated in the bottom 10%) and he could beat me in chess in about 6 moves.  He always had 3 chess games going, one with anybody that would walk in, one by phone with another Polio victim whom he met in the hospital and one by mail with a pen pal in Australia.

Even though he was bed ridden and 90% paralyzed, he still remains one of the nicest people I have ever met.  He always told me, "Remember, Glenn, you don't have to look very far to find someone worse off than you."

We recognize these wise words and the reminicenses they conjure up from so long ago.  If you have good memories of Russell, you are invited to share those by posting a reply here by clicking below.