June 26 2003
Winston-Salem Journal, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Thursday, June 26, 2003
Chauvenet
Mr. Louis Russell Chauvenet “Russ” of Clarebridge/Alterra Winston-Salem died peacefully in his sleep on the night of June 24, 2003. Russ was born in Knoxville, Tenn., Feb. 12, 1920, and was raised near Charlottesville, Va., the oldest of six children of Louis and Caroline Chauvenet. At the age of 10 he became deaf as a result of bacterial meningitis. He graduated from the Belmont High School in Belmont, Mass., and attended Harvard University, Boston College and the University of Virginia. He held a bachelor of arts degree in biology and a master's degree in chemistry from the University of Virginia. He worked in the computer field as a civilian employee of the U.S. Defense Department from 1948 until his retirement. Outside of work, Russ was well known in several areas. He was a founder of science-fiction fandom as a member of “The Stranger Club” in the Boston area and invented the word “fanzine” since used to describe private fan publications in areas of interest. He was for many years a member of the Fantasy Amateur Press Association (FAPA) and a published poet in the state of Maryland.
From an early age Russ took an interest in chess. He was a lifetime member of the U.S. Chess Federation and was the 1959 U.S. Amateur Champion. He won numerous other chess honors and awards and was the several-time champion of Virginia, two-time champion of Maryland and also won the Southern Championship, Delaware Championship and Washington, D.C., Championship. He was the highest-rated deaf player in the U.S. and won the U.S. Deaf Championship every time he entered it, never losing a game in the tournament. He represented the U.S. in the world deaf team and individual competition and was twice the runner-up in the world individual tournament.
Russ had a great love of sailing and was devoted to the Windmill Class Sailing Association. He built one of the first Windmills and attended regattas from Maine to Florida. He was the high-point Champion of the Chesapeake By Yacht Racing Association in 1975. His activities in the Windmill Class led to his being one of only four people elected to honorary membership in the class association. After he retirement, Russ resumed his college running career with the Montgomery County (Maryland) track club. He was honored in the D. C. area and recognized as a “1000K Man” when he completed his 100th 10K race (all between the ages of 62-75).
Russ was devoted to his family. His wife, the former Sarah Jane Barrett, died in June 2001 and Russ died on what would have been their 59th wedding anniversary. They had one child, Allen, a pediatric oncologist at Brenner Children's Hospital/Wake Forest University. Their daughter-in-law, Julia Cruz, is a medical oncologist at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. Their two grandchildren are Nicolas Cruz Chauvenet, a 2003 graduate of Reynolds High School and Christina Anna Chauvenet, a member of the class of 2004 at Reynolds High School. Russ is survived by two of his sisters, Calise Conley of Kansas and Roberta Marie Hopkins of Minnesota. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. His ancestors included William Bradford (Governor of Plymouth Plantation) and William Chauvenet (the leading American mathematician of the mid-19th century and a founder of the U.S. Naval Academy). Russ was a brilliant yet modest man, always fair and honest, who was loved, appreciated and respected by all who had the opportunity to cross paths with him in this life. Burial will be at Riverview Cemetery in Charlottesville, Va., at 11 a.m. Friday, June 27. In lieu of flowers or others gifts, the family would be pleased for contributions in Russ' memory to be made either to: Children's Cancer Fund, c/o Dr. Marcia Wofford, Department of Pediatrics, Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-081 or to the Windmill Class Association, 417 Gold Drive, Hoover, AL 35226. (Arrangements by Russell Funeral Home.)
