Long Beach State University Athletics
49er Football Player Remembered
8/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | General
Aug. 9, 2008
NEWS STORY FROM THE PRESS TELEGRAM:
LONG BEACH - To his friends, Robert Kevin Russell was known as a "funny guy," the "life of the party" who loved sports and aspired to be a great novelist one day.
On Monday, the 54-year-old former co-owner of the 49'rs Tavern decided to take his life with a self-inflicted gunshot to the head on a park bench in Spinnaker Bay near Marine Stadium.
Russell was still alive when paramedics arrived, but died at a nearby hospital about two hours later. Authorities have ruled his death a suicide.
Roommate and local attorney Greg Silver said Russell had left him a note while he was away this week, thanking him for his friendship and support while also detailing his plans to end his life.
"He had been depressed and mentioned to me he didn't see many more options left for him, but I never thought it would lead to this," Silver said.
Silver said he met Russell in 1974 when he was a two-year starter and a linebacker and defensive lineman for Wayne Howard's Long Beach State football team.
Russell went on to work for Whitey Littlefield's Somerset Distributors and the wine industry before owning the popular 49'rs Tavern for 10 years.
However, after selling his interest in the 49'rs Tavern, things changed dramatically for Russell.
For the past two years he had been unemployed and spent most of his time writing two novels, said Silver.
The many unsuccessful attempts to publish his writing led the once humorous man who loved to golf and play racquetball to become extremely frustrated and hopeless, said Silver.
"He had a hard time when he found out how difficult it was to publish his work," said Silver "He was unable to support himself, and he was having a hard time with that."
Those like current 49'rs Tavern owner Ralph Guglielm said he remembers Russell coming into the bar a few times seeming "upbeat" when talking about his novels.
At one point, Guglielm said Russell also mentioned he had been thinking of managing a restaurant his friends owned in Chicago.
Two weeks ago when ex-girlfriend Julie Lane spoke to Russell, she said he didn't seem completely depressed but also didn't seem like his "witty, goofball" self.
"He mentioned he was looking for work, that things weren't panning out, just very casual," said Lane.
When news came that Russell had resorted to suicide this week, Lane said she was in "complete and utter shock."
"He had such a wonderful sense of humor, he would have me in stitches," Lane said. "He was a good man who had a good heart. It's so sad. I still can't wrap my head around the whole thing. He was so much more than how he ended it for himself."
No date has been set for memorial services.
For more information on pending funeral plans, contact Greg Silver at gss@ebslaw.net.
FROM DOUG KRIKORIAN, LONG BEACH PRESS-TELEGRAM:
When I found out the person who committed suicide the other day at Spinnaker Bay was Kevin Russell, I was seized by both riveting shock and sorrow.
I had heard Kevin in recent times had lapsed into depression, and had been staying the past few months at the home of Greg and Karen Silver - Mr. Silver is a prominent Long Beach attorney - but I had no idea this affable, gregarious fellow who co-owned the venerable 49er Tavern for a decade was in such a serious state.
The last time I had spoken to Kevin was about a year ago, and he had sold his interest in the 49er and was upbeat about a novel he had just completed.
He was well-known in the local athletic community going back to the mid 1970s when he was a two-year starter at both linebacker and defensive line for Wayne Howard's Long Beach State football team.
"Kevin was a wonderful and enthusiastic football player, and he also was a wonderful and enthusiastic person," said former Press-Telegram sports editor Jim McCormack, who covered the 49ers when Russell played for them. "I'm so saddened by what has happened."
"A piece of Long Beach has died with Kevin Russell," said Greg Silver, his closest friend who had known him since 1974 when both attended Long Beach State. "Kevin will be remembered as one of our icons. If his passing can have any meaning, it's that we need to get out of our own way and reach out and make sure the hand of friendship and caring is recognized for what it is - the backbone of our community. ..."
