Russell S. Bickel

Russell Samuel Bickel, Sr., 98, of Shillington, died August 6, 2010 in the Reading Hospital and Medical Center. His wife of 52 years, Irene (Brown) Bickel, died November 19, 2009.

Born in Birdsboro, he was the son of the late William and Sarah Pearl (Micken) Bickel. Russell attended Birdsboro High School and was a graduate of Wharton Business School in Philadelphia, where he was a member of Pi Delta Epsilon Fraternity.

Russell is survived by his son, Russell S. Bickel Jr., Leesport, and his daughter, Barbara A., wife of Robert A. Swoyer, Shillington, with whom he resided, and three grandchildren, Sam, Mary, and Johanna Swoyer.

He was predeceased by his three siblings: Dorothy Kulp, Charles Bickel, and Mildred Bickel.

Russell's 82 year career was spent in the financial industry. He began his career in 1928 at the age of 17 as a "blackboard boy" at Parrish Regional Brokerage. Rising from chalkboy to runner to margin clerk, he eventually returned to school and acquired a broker's license in 1946. He was named partner at Parrish in the early 1950's and later vice president of the company, then known as Prudential Securities. He was employed by Prudential Securities for 73 years until resigning at the age of 90 due to the closing of Prudential's Reading branch and his subsequent transfer to the company's Allentown branch. Russell then joined First Union Securities, in 2001, in order to work closer to home. The company later became Wachovia Securities and is currently Wells Fargo Advisors. Employed as a senior vice president of investments at Wells Fargo, he last worked Thursday, August 5th, 2010.

In addition to his interest in all things related to the financial world, Russ enjoyed a life long passion for reading, gardening, and taking great joy in the lives of his three cherished grandchildren. He was a member of the Maidencreek Fish and Game Club.

A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, August 21, 2010 at 11:00am in Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., 739 Penn Avenue, West Reading. A visitation will be held an hour prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Humane Society, 1801 N. 11th St., Reading PA 19604. Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.