Gerald Osbourne Russell, also known as Douglas or Dougie to friends and family, was born in St. Anne’s Parish in Jamaica on February 14, 1929.
During his time living in Jamaica he taught scuba diving and sailing to guests at some of the hotels in Ocho Rios, and took tourists on treks up Dunn’s River Falls. In 1967, he met Bertie Fern Wilson, from Port Hope, who was staying at one of the hotels where he worked. She returned to Jamaica after her mother died in 1968 and arranged for Gerald to come to Canada, where they wed on November 23rd, 1970. They remained married until Fern passed in 2001.
At first they lived in Port Hope, and Gerald taught scuba diving in various locations east of Toronto, until an accident punctured one of his lungs and made it impossible to scuba dive. They eventually moved to Mississauga where Fern worked at a Duty Free Shop in Pearson Airport, and Gerald worked for Air Canada Cargo. They returned to Jamaica for a short period of time in the 1980s, after Fern’s retirement, where Gerald was a taxi driver for JUTA, taking tourist to many of the beautiful sights in and around Ocho Rios.
Gerald will be missed by his son from an earlier marriage, Trevor Russell, Trevor’s wife Patricia and their three children, as well as his sister Velma in the United States and several nieces, nephews and their children, plus his many friends at the Brittania Coop and congregants from his Meadowvale Seventh Day Adventist Church.
He will be remembered for being a dreamer, a well groomed and well-dressed gentleman, and a generous man.