Chad Woodson Russell

Dr. Chad Woodson Russell, 64, died Thursday, January 29, 2026, at his home in Oxford. The memorial service will be held Thursday, February 5, 2026, at 2:00 P.M. in the Chapel of Waller Funeral Home with Rev. Barrett Milner officiating. Visitation will be prior to the service beginning at 1:00 P.M. Burial will follow in Oxford Memorial Cemetery.

Born on January 25, 1962, to Jeannice Garrett Russell and the late Wilbur Woodson “Bill” Russell, Jr, Chad worked as Lecturer and Assessment Coordinator in the Department of Writing and Rhetoric at the University of Mississippi and served as Parliamentarian of the Faculty Senate. Chad received his undergraduate degree in computer science from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a degree in philosophy from Miami University before earning his PhD in Education from the University of Mississippi. Throughout his education and teaching career, Chad was recognized by his department with multiple awards for excellence.

Chad was gifted with a remarkable IQ which won respect from all but was also a congenial, warm and very witty man who made friends easily and kept them for years. He had a passion for music, particularly Post Modern Jukebox, and read voraciously. Since the death of his father in 2011, Chad has been the dedicated caretaker and POA of his beloved mother.

Survivors include his mother, Jeannice Russell; his brother, Clay Russell and his family; his aunt and uncle, Harley and Linda Garrett and his cousins, Mike and Linne Garrett.

Expressions of sympathy or memorial contributions in Chad’s memory may be made to the National Museum of the American Indian, Smithsonian Institute, P.O. Box 23473, Washington, D.C. 20026-3473.