Emphysema

[DRiP Guy]

Got clued in to some sad news the other day about someone that the old timers here will recognize. I am always sad to hear of the passing of one in our current circle of acquaintances, even if that knowing was only 'virtual' through the web.

John Russell
October 27, 2009
CRESTVIEW, FL - John Walter Russell, 63, of Crestview, FL, died Tuesday, October 27, 2009. Arrangements by Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton.

BAILEY-KIRK FUNERAL HOME

If you don't smoke; don't start.

If you do smoke; quit.


DRiP Guy

 

[Martha]

He was JWR1945 here. Hasn't posted in a few years. Too damn young. Thanks for letting us know.

 

[haha]

I am sorry to hear about his death. There are many very unpleasant ways to die, but emphysema has to be way up there.

He did the math on the "Retire on TIPS plan." He wrote like an engineer, but I read all his posts anyway.

RIP, JWR.

Ha

 

[Notmuchlonger]

RIP.

I know more who are in their 80s and 90s smoking than those who died this young.

Stop smoking.

 

[kyounge1956]

(snip)

He did the math on the "Retire on TIPS plan." He wrote like an engineer, but I read all his posts anyway.(snip)

Ha

can you point me at a thread about the plan? I searched the forum for "retire on TIPs" (in quotes) but this thread was the only hit.

 

[DRiP Guy]

can you point me at a thread about the plan? I searched the forum for "retire on TIPs" (in quotes) but this thread was the only hit.

Perhaps the best way to handle this is just to point out that John was a frequent contributor to the Income and Dividend investing portion of the Morningstar site, and that if you are interested in his views, that might be the best place to go.

A typical thread:
JWR....TIPs - Funds, Portfolio, recession, I-Bonds, market valuation - Morningstar

 

[Nords]

Sad news.

can you point me at a thread about the plan? I searched the forum for "retire on TIPs" (in quotes) but this thread was the only hit.

DRiP Guy is tactfully avoiding mention of the issues surrounding JWR's conceptual errors concerning investment math.

Groucho Marx remains the ultimate authority on the TIPS retirement plan: "You can if you have enough of them."

 

[GeorgeB]

Nords:
And you, sir, are no Groucho Marx.
Yours is the first derogatory post I've seen about JWR's untimely demise.
John was always a sincere gentleman who went to great lengths to explain his philosophy, and the math behind it, for his concept of a 'safe withdrawal rate' --it is tragically ironic that his efforts did not serve his interests well, but I am sure they gave many others food for thought.
Have fun,
George

 

[REWahoo]

Yours is the first derogatory post I've seen about JWR's untimely demise.

I see nothing derogatory in anything posted on this thread regarding the sad passing of a fellow human being.

 

[samclem]

This is sad news.

Looking over the old threads, I was reminded that JWR was religious. I'm hoping his faith was a source of comfort during his illness, it is for many people.

Wow. We write our electronic notes and to each other for a few years, share our philosophy, little bits of our lives. Then someone's biological systems break down and he just never logs on again. Another light blinks out . . .

 

[unclemick]

This is sad news.

Looking over the old threads, I was reminded that JWR was religious. I'm hoping his faith was a source of comfort during his illness, it is for many people.

Wow. We write our electronic notes and to each other for a few years, share our philosophy, little bits of our lives. Then someone's biological systems break down and he just never logs on again. Another light blinks out . . .

At least in this case we got a heads up.

RIP - JWR.

heh heh heh - .

 

[DRiP Guy]

This is sad news.

Looking over the old threads, I was reminded that JWR was religious. I'm hoping his faith was a source of comfort during his illness, it is for many people.

Wow. We write our electronic notes and to each other for a few years, share our philosophy, little bits of our lives. Then someone's biological systems break down and he just never logs on again. Another light blinks out . . .

Or he goes SK, and your QSL's go unanswered... John was a licensed ham radio operator as well, call sign W8JLK.

 

[Sarah in SC]

Thanks for sharing the sad news DRIP. It is always sad to have anyone's life shortened by illness like this. I remember him well.

 

[FinanceDude]

Nords:
And you, sir, are no Groucho Marx.
Yours is the first derogatory post I've seen about JWR's untimely demise.
John was always a sincere gentleman who went to great lengths to explain his philosophy, and the math behind it, for his concept of a 'safe withdrawal rate' --it is tragically ironic that his efforts did not serve his interests well, but I am sure they gave many others food for thought.
Have fun,
George

Wow, ONE post, and you're already dissin' folks...........

 

[GeorgeB]

Sorry

If I misinterpreted "issues surrounding JWR's conceptual errors concerning investment math" as snide innuendo, then I certainly apologize, and I absolutely do not want to pursue that point further.
John's views occasionally invoked controversy, but, IMHO, were always presented with sincerity, to the benefit of those willing to give them some independent thought. May he rest in peace.

Cheers,
George

 

[Sarah in SC]

Spoken like a true old timer, eh George?

 

[CuppaJoe]

...
I know more who are in their 80s and 90s smoking than those who died this young.

....

My first thought also. A great uncle complained of emphysema from a very young age but outlived his entire generation, and there were a lot of them. Makes me wonder if emphysema was the only COD. My cardiologist would ask if there was also some heart disease, perhaps unrelated to smoking.

May we pause in our, as Unclemick puts it in a very different context today, "snits people get into on forums."

As the Irish say, "Johnny, I hardly knew ya." Sad day.

 

[ziggy29]

As much as anything, it reminds me that it's important to stop and sniff the flowers along the journey to your destination. We can talk about SWRs and retirement income strategies all we want, but Mr. Russell's passing at the all-too-young age of 63 should remind us that there's no guarantee we'll be around for the future we're saving for. So if we are depriving ourselves in the here and now in order to live it up decades from now, well... while it's important to still set aside for retirement, we may want to allow for having some good times today.

 

[Nords]

If I misinterpreted "issues surrounding JWR's conceptual errors concerning investment math" as snide innuendo, then I certainly apologize, and I absolutely do not want to pursue that point further.
John's views occasionally invoked controversy, but, IMHO, were always presented with sincerity, to the benefit of those willing to give them some independent thought. May he rest in peace.
Cheers,
George

Apology accepted.

Your response is perhaps typical of those who didn't have to read and analyze all the misconceptions and just plain mistakes in the discussions. How soon our collective memory forgets.

When Kyounge asked, I realized that it does no service to the board's newer members to leave them with any possible impression that his advice served as anything more than a warning to be responsible for your own ER planning... and for doing your own math. I've been around here for a while, so I felt it appropriate for me to speak up.

His TIPS idea may have worked with enough of them to handle an ER's actual inflation (not just the CPI), consumption of principal, and a definite expiration date. But it's not a 4% SWR solution. Joe Dominguez was a titan of ER yet he made more than his share of financial mistakes too.

Not even the most conservative Boglehead would advocate their approach.

BTW when my obituary is posted on this board, I hope it incites a heavily moderated [-]fistfight[/-] argument about whether my estate will ever be able to pay off my mortgages...

 

[Sarah in SC]

Nords, it would be an honor if I am still a mod to arbitrate said fistfight!

 

[DRiP Guy]

I was torn about even posting this news, because I knew it would be virtually impossible to share the sad news about the passing of a fellow human being, without at least some reference to his link to the retire early community, which would then lead to discussion of his rather dubious methods, etc.

If I could impose on the moderator, perhaps we can close this thread with quick links to a site dedicated to promoting his theories and ideas, and one dedicated to debunking them, and then leave it for other threads and other times (if any) to discuss particulars further?

In any event, Rest in Peace, John, and I truly hope you have found serenity.


Site promoting John's ideas and methods:
Welcome to Early Retirement Planning Insights.


Site debunking John's ideas and methods:
Rob Bennett's Best of Hocomania Discussion Forum - The Best of Russell-mania

 

[W2R]

Closed by request of the OP.