Russell Richardson Dutcher

Russell Richardson Dutcher

Russell Richardson Dutcher passed away on Tuesday, February 15, 2011 at Memorial Hospital in Carbondale following a short illness, having attained the age of 83 years, 4 months and 17 days.
Born in Brooklyn, New York on October 28, 1927, he was the son of Edwin Brown and Belle, nee Richardson, Dutcher. He grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and Sheffield, Massachusetts, where he graduated from Berkshire School in 1945. He received his B. A. Degree in 1951 from the University of Connecticut and his M.S. degree in 1953 from the University of Massachusetts, both degrees in geology. His friends convinced him to visit Penn State to discuss further study in the field of coal science. He received his Ph.D. in 1960 and remained there to become the assistant director of the Coal Research Section and acting head of the Department of Geology and Geophysics. He directed several masters and doctoral students as well as publishing pioneering work on coal carbonization from 1955 to 1970. In 1960, he shared an award from the American Iron and Steel Institute.

In 1970, he joined the faculty of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale as chairman of the Department of Geology. With the Arab oil embargo and the resulting federal initiatives, he found himself as the first director of what is now the Coal Research Center from 1974 to 1976 and found he preferred working with students. From 1984 to his retirement in 1993, he served as the dean of the College of Science with his research interests focused on coal-bed methane. In his career, he was honored by a number of research and teaching recognitions from a wide variety of organizations. He held a lifelong enthusiasm for the Yellowstone-Bighorn Research Association Geologic Field Camp, a private, non-profit educational corporation in Red Lodge, Montana.

He was united in marriage to Linda, nee Fluecking, Dutcher on September 9, 1972 in Amherst, New York and she survives.

Preceding him in death were his parents and his brothers, Edwin Brown, Jr., Charles Mason and John, who died in infancy.

Surviving are his wife, Linda Dutcher; his children, Russell R. Dutcher, Jr. of Douglas, Wyoming and Jan Dutcher Kahlfeldt and husband, James of Overland Park, Kansas; his grandchildren, Nicole Granas and husband, Davin, of Glenrock, Wyoming, Monica Dutcher of Overland Park, Kansas, Laura Zimbleman and husband, Scott of Gillette, Wyoming, Chance Dutcher of Douglas, Wyoming, Kevin Kahlfeldt of Overland Park, Kansas and Andrea Kahlfeldt of Overland Park, Kansas and his great-grandchildren, Renelle Granas of Glenrock, Wyoming, Zander Granas of Glenrock, Wyoming, Talon Granas of Glenrock, Wyoming, Skyron Granas of Glenrock, Wyoming, Lexie Ann Dutcher of Overland Park, Kansas, Tobias Russell Zimbleman of Gilette, Wyoming, Lilly Zimbleman of Gilette, Wyoming and Annabelle Zimbleman of Gilette, Wyoming.

A memorial gathering will be held in Carbondale at a later date. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association or Yellowstone-Bighorn Research Association Geologic Field Camp (YBRA), P. O. Box 20598, Billings, Montana.

Interment will be held at a later date in Sheffield Center Cemetery in Sheffield, Massachusetts.

The Creason Funeral Home in Millstadt, Illinois was in charge of arrangements.