David Russakoff

David Russakoff, exceptional husband, father, and grandfather, died peacefully with family on February 28th in Asheville, North Carolina.

Born in New York City in 1938 to Goldie and Joe Russakoff, David was the oldest of three boys. After his family moved from Manhattan to Queens in 1952, he took the subway every day over to Stuyvesant High School. Ever the diligent student, he graduated high school at the age of 16 and then attended Queens College. He graduated in 1956 and went directly to Tufts Medical School. Working as a medical student in Boston, he met Ina Raymond, a pediatric nurse working in the ICU. On the first day David saw Ina, she was covered head to toe with scrubs and a face mask, and only her bright eyes were visible. As David would say later, “those eyes got me” and he asked her out on a date. Their dating was cut short by his internship and residency assignment in Dallas, Texas. Not one to be dissuaded by such minor inconveniences, Ina moved to Dallas to be with him and the two were married in 1963. Their first son Neil was born in 1966 and they moved to Morgantown, West Virginia as part of David’s posting for the Public Health Service. After he was discharged David, a pulmonologist, joined his Uncle Abe’s pulmonary practice in Birmingham, Alabama. Steven was born shortly after in 1969, followed by Daniel in 1973. David eventually struck out on his own and established his own pulmonary practice and became a beloved fixture in the Birmingham medical community. He retired from his practice in 2003 and transitioned to hospital administration, retiring for good in 2010.

David’s quiet, calm demeanor was the rock upon which his family was built, and an inspiration to all who knew him. His patience was his superpower. It made him an adored physician and an even better father. If he wasn’t schlepping his boys all over the city for their baseball games and hockey practices, he was sitting in the crowd watching their every game or being dragged all over to rock concerts, Six Flags, and countless Barons/Bulls/Blazers/Braves games.

And, when the time came, his patience also made him an extraordinary grandfather. He was up for whatever it took to make life great – making special shopping trips to Costco and Trader Joe’s, organizing family ski vacations to Whistler, or pacing around singing “99 Bottles of Beer” to soothe sleepless babies. David did it all with a quiet, powerful love that infused all those around him. May his memory be a blessing – he will be sorely missed.

David was preceded in death by his son Neil. He is survived by his wife Ina; his brothers Mark and Andy; his daughter-in-law Maria, and grandchildren Max and Ben; his son Steven, wife Wyndi, and grandchildren Izabell and Nola; his son Daniel, wife Betsy, and grandchildren Joni and Stella.

The funeral will be held on Tuesday, March 5th, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona at All Faiths Cemetery where he will join his son, Neil.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the V Foundation for Cancer Research are appreciated.

Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian is assisting the family.