Obit:  Russell E. Blinn, Obituary,  March 10, 2003
Source:  Journal Inquirer
             Manchester,CT (issue March 14, 2003)
Submitter:   ABishop, March 2003

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BLINN

Russell E. Blinn, formerly of Doyle Road in Tolland, died on Monday, March 10, 2003, 
at the Sunbridge Nursing Home in Hadley, MA. He was 93.

Born on June 8, 1909, he was the third of five sons born to Porter and Florence (Bacon) Blinn. 
He lived on his Doyle Road farm with his wife of sixty-six years, Louise (Gottier)Blinn, 
until after his ninetieth birthday, when the couple moved to the Arbors, an assisted living 
home in Amherst, MA.

Russell was a gregarious and social man known for his jokes and stories, all of which came 
from a deep interest in people and how and why they behave as they do. He used this interest 
in his job as a salesman until he retired at the age of 62 and devoted himself to his real 
love - organic farming. Russell was known for his beautiful fruit and vegetable garden. After 
buying the old Pelton farm in 1945, he taught himself the skills needed to farm. In 1945, the 
barn held three cows, one horse, some pigs, and geese. As time went on, he acquired chickens 
and sheep. In the next fifty-five years, Russell learned how to grow produce without using any 
pesticides, preferring always to use natural insect control. He sold this produce at his stand 
on Doyle Road, using the honor system. A member of the Tolland Historical Society for many years, 
Russell was keenly interested in the colonial period, especially his own Yankee ancestors who came 
to Connecticut in the 17th Century. A direct descendant o
f cabinet maker Peter Blinn, whose works are exhibited in the Wadsworth Atheneum, one of Russell's 
proudest moments was attending an auction of a Peter Blinn chest. His successful bid brought the chest 
back into the family. A self-educated man, Russell was a believer in healthy eating and not going to the 
doctor unless necessary. He once wrote a letter to a commercial bakery announcing his intention to 
boycott its bread because of the addition of preservatives. He said he did not want his digestive and 
assimilative tracts fighting an uphill battle against the staff of life. He then made his own bread.

Russell leaves his wife, Louise, and daughters, Carolyn Schindler and her husband, Larry, of Duxbury, 
Massachusetts, Florence Theriault and her husband, George, of Annapolis, Maryland, Sally Blinn of 
Amherst, MA, and Irene Blinn and her husband, David Avery of Antrim, New Hampshire. He is also survived 
by nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

When he moved to Amherst, Mr. Blinn donated his remains to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center. 
A memorial service is being planned for the future. It is hoped that all who remember him and his jokes 
and stories will be able to attend.

Donations in his memory may be made to the VNA Hospice Alliance, 168 Industrial Drive, 
Northampton, MA 01060.

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