Obituary of James William Russell

RUSSELL, James W. “Nipsy” Pictou James William (“Nipsy”) Russell was born in Pictou on August 15, 1958; the first of six children born to Harold and Doretta (Nicholson) Russell. Jim/Nipsy was born to fish. At a young age, he started fishing the lakes and rivers surrounding the family camp at Stillwater, Guysborough County. At age 9, he was featured in the Pictou Advocate for his recent catch of a 21-inch trout weighing 3¾ pounds. Not long after graduating from NSCC (machine shop), Nipsy pursued his passion fulltime becoming a commercial fisherman in 1980, at the age of 22. At the time, he paid $16,000 for the gear, which he paid off in one year with enough left over to purchase herring nets. For the next 43 years, Nipsy fished lobster, herring, scallops, groundfish, mackerel, smelts, and chased the elusive tuna. What he didn’t fish in the ocean, he fished on the shore with a particular knack for catching bass. On the last day of winter, he painted the Hayley & Noah in preparation for the upcoming season. On the very next day, March 20, his season came to an abrupt ending. Nipsy is survived by his mother Doretta; his wife of 39 years, Margo Watt; his daughter, Hayley Russell and son-in-law JJ Akin (Saint Peter, MN); and loved-like-a-daughter Emelyne, Matt and Hallie Langille; Jim and Beth Nicholson; Margo and Ron Bird, Mona and Bob Forbes, Hilda-Anne and Bill Troupe; Gladys Knowles and children; Russ and Nancy Vye; Larry, Sharon, Cynthia, and Bryan Watt. He was predeceased by his father Harold, his beloved grandparents James and Hilda Nicholson, Mona and Max Russell. His greatest sorrow was the loss of his son, Noah, in 2014 with whom now he may be reunited. Nipsy leaves behind a community of fishers, too numerous to mention, with whom he shared so many wonderful experiences and stories, as well as his Pictou Island home, of which he was so proud. He also leaves his dogs who loved him dearly – George, Bode, and Blue. Funeral service for Jim/Nipsy will be held at 2pm Saturday, March 25 at the First Presbyterian Church in Pictou, NS. Donations can be made to the Noah Russell Bursary Fund at StFX University or a charity of your choice. Always loved, never forgotten, and forever missed.