Thomas Russell

Thomas Lyon Russell died on July 11, 2015 at the age of 97. The family will hold a private graveside service. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. He was born in Pittsburg, KS on November 14, 1917 to Walter and Florence Lyon.
He received a BFA from Bethany College in 1947, and the MFA from the Kansas City Art Institute, where he taught fifteen years. He studied under Thomas Hart Benton and John DeMartelli. During 1939-40, he studied at the Art Students’ League in New York under Yasuo Kuniyoshi. He served in the Army Air Corp in England in WWII and studied there with Henry Moore. He joined the Baker University faculty in 1963 and was chairman of the Art Department until he retired in 1982.
His work has appeared in many shows including ones at the Nelson-Atkins Museum, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the University of Wichita, the Vincent Price Gallery in Chicago, and he Tyman Gallery in Santa Fe. Hundreds of his paintings are both private and permanent collections including the Spencer Museum at the University of Kansas. Over his career he has painted murals for the Folger Coffee Company headquarters in San Francisco; the Tropical Medical Research Center, San Antonio; Saint Francis Hospital, Wichita; The Officers’ Dining Hall, Ft. Leavenworth, the Cultural Center of the Kansas City, Kansas Public Library; the wall relief in the lobby of Rice Memorial Auditorium, on the Baker University campus; and in the lobby of the Baldwin State Bank. He also allowed prints to be made from his paintings, which were sold to support charitable causes, such as the Baldwin City Library fund and the Baldwin Lumberyard Arts Center.
He was married twice. He had six children with his first wife, Monica, who was his war bride from Wales. Monica died in 1974, and he married his friend and colleague Alice Ann Callahan in 1978. His children are Thomas (wife Irma), Jennifer, Spencer (Jeannie),, Fletcher (Carol), Pam (William), and Tracy (Michael). His grandchildren are Ameen Kern (Terra), Cassie Bergstrom (Jake), Mikelle Chavers (Aaron), Tally Russell, Nat Russell (Elizabeth) and Anna Zeilaski (Daniel), and Camille Sanandaji. Great grandchildren: Ella Russell, and Emily, Max and Jeb Kern.
His many friends, colleagues and former students will remember his kindness and thoughtfulness. His commitment to his craft as an artist and the encouragement he fostered is an example for all of us. The family wishes to thank the Visiting Nurses, especially Chris, and Helping Hands caregivers.
Private family interment was held at Oakwood Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Baldwin Lumberyard Arts Center c/o Lamb-Roberts Funeral Home, PO Box 64, Baldwin City, KS 66006. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.