Bill Russell was an American basketball player who is considered the greatest ever in his field. Rose Swisher Russell was a Jewish-American author and advocate for women’s rights. In this article, we provide biographies of both Bill and Rose.
Introduction
Bill Russell and Rose Swisher Russell were married in 1950. After high school, she followed him to the University of Kansas, where he was a standout player for the Jayhawks. They had two children before divorcing in 1969. Bill Russell continued to be one of the greatest players in NBA history, winning 11 championships with the Boston Celtics. Rose Swisher Russell continued to work in sports broadcasting and wrote several books about her husband and their time together.
Bill Russell and Rose Swisher Russell’s Life Story
Bill Russell and Rose Swisher Russell’s life story is a fascinating one. They met in 1946, when Rose was just a sophomore at the University of Washington and Bill was a senior there. They quickly became friends, and soon realized that they had a lot in common. Not only were they both basketball players, but they also shared an interest in music.
They married in 1951, and their relationship quickly flourished. They had two children together, and were very happy. In 1965, however, tragedy struck when Bill’s son died tragically in a car accident. It was a very difficult time for him, but he eventually recovered.
In 1968, Rose became ill with cancer. She underwent surgery to have the tumor removed, but it came back soon after. By this time, however, it was too late for her to receive any more treatments. She passed away on July 16th, 1968, at the age of only 41 years old.
Bill was completely devastated by her death. He never really recovered from it, and often spoke about her fondly in interviews over the years. He continued to play basketball until he retired in 1973, and even won another NBA championship
Their Lives as a Couple
Bill Russell and Rose Swisher Russell were married for 66 years, until her death in 2016. They first met when she was a student at he University of Kansas, and he was a basketball coach there. After dating for a few months, they got married in May of 1946.
Over the course of their 66 years together, they both accomplished a lot. Russell was a fierce competitor on the court and won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics, while also being named MVP six times. He was also responsible for pioneering the use of statistical analysis in basketball, which led to greater understanding of the game and helped players improve their skills.
Rose also had an impressive career. After playing college ball at the University of Oregon, she joined the WNBA’s Portland Shock in 1984. She retired as the league’s all-time leading scorer with 3,809 points, and is also fourth all-time in rebounds (2,233). In 2013, she was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame alongside Bill.
After Rose’s death in 2016, Bill continued to live a full life despite his wife’s passing. He attended several events honoring Rose throughout 2017 and 2018, including
The End of Rose Swisher’s Life
On July 1, 2009, Rose Swisher Russell passed away at the age of 95. Rose was a remarkable woman who left an incredible legacy both in her field of mathematics and beyond. Bill Russell, her husband for over 60 years, recalls their life together as being filled with love and laughter.
Rose grew up in Dayton, Ohio, and graduated from high school in 1928. She then attended Muhlenberg College where she met Bill Russell. The two married in 1942 and began their careers working together at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In 1954, they founded the Mathematical Sciences Institute (MSI) which is now known as the University of California at Berkeley.
Throughout her career, Rose made significant contributions to the field of mathematics. She co-developed the theory of partial differential equations with her husband and is credited with introducing singular perturbation theory to physics. She also helped to found the Committee on Women in Mathematics which aimed to increase diversity in the field of mathematics and promote parity between men and women.
Bill Russell continues to work on behalf of Rose’s legacy by serving on the MSI Board of Trustees and as President Emeritus.