Obituary of Russell B. Bainbridge

Russell Benjamin Bainbridge passed away peacefully on July 30, 2015 in Iowa City, Iowa in the company of his children and grandchildren. He was born on August 19, 1920 in Drinkwater, Saskatchewan, Canada where his parents were homesteading. His mother passed away shortly after his birth and his father, sister and brother returned to Kingsley, Iowa to farm. He graduated from Kingsley High School in 1937 where his favorite subject was physics and where he took typing. He attended the University of Iowa for two semesters before moving to Chicago where he took up the welding trade as well as residence at a boarding house in south Chicago. The proprietress was such a good cook that he eventually proposed to her daughter not realizing that she did not cook. Ultimately, this did not matter but did provide some surprises and a rush for recipes. Before their marriage however, he was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1942. Due to his ability to type, he was made a company clerk. His unit prepared two divisions for overseas duty from Camp Adair, in Oregon. Then, the 69th Division, the creation of which was planned during WWI, was formed May, 1943 at Camp Shelby, Mississippi. On January 21, 1945, the Division sailed from England for France. There, the Division fought its way across Germany to the capture of Leipzig, Germany and meeting our Russian allies before pulling back. He was awarded the Bronze Star during the term of his service. He had married Mary Hudson at the chapel of Camp Shelby on October 20, 1943. After discharge, he returned to Chicago, picked up his wife, son and daughter and moved to Des Moines. There he entered into the sheet metal trade and joined the sheet metal workers union. He was ran the apprenticeship program for the union. Notable events during his working life include re-leafing the Capitol dome in Des Moines, the installation of air conditioning for the very first computer, built on the campus of Iowa State University, in Ames and the heating and air for the new Vet Med campus also in Ames. He is preceded in death by his mother, father, sister and brother and wife of 61 years. He is survived by one brother, son, Russell, Jr. and wife Nancy of Oklahoma City,OK, daughter, Suzanne Dingman and husband Bob of Vallejo, CA., son Joseph and wife Kathryn of Coralville, Iowa, son Dr. Thomas and wife Mary Anne of Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Thirteen grandchildren, Russell B. Bainbridge III and wife Emiley, Sabrina Bainbridge, Thomas Bainbridge, Amanda Hamilton, Benjamin Dingman, Sara Turnquist and husband Troy, Laura Conrad and husband, Joshua, Jeffrey Bainbridge and wife Suzanna, Jonathan Bainbridge, Anne Welsh and husband, Jim, Dr. Elizabeth Meehan and husband Pat, Theresa Bainbridge and David Bainbridge. Great grandchildren: Peyton Dingman, Conor and Isaac Hamilton, Hanna and Jacob Turnquist, Jack and Will Conrad and Jonah and Kathlyn Bainbridge and Olivia and Nicholas Bainbridge. Arrangements are being handled by the Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service. His family wishes to extend their thanks to the Veterans Administration and Iowa City Hospice for the support and help provided to their father during his last years.