Russell N. Monbleau, Jr.

Russell N. Monbleau, Jr., 66, resident of Milford, died September 19, 2010 at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Nashua, NH, surrounded by his loving wife. He was born in Fall River, MA on September 13, 1944, a son of the late Russell N. Monbleau, Sr. and Dorothy (Francis) Monbleau. He was raised and educated in Massachusetts and Southern Connecticut, graduating from Stamford High in ‘62, earned a BA in Liberal Arts from Colby College, Waterville, Maine ‘66 and received his MBA from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 1967. Russ joined the Norton Company in 1967 and took over the west coast sales district. In 1972 he accepted a position with American Honda Motors, In., in Gardena, California where he rose to National Sales and Marketing Manager for the Parts & Accessories Division. He left Honda in 1977 to join Beggs & Cobb and finally arrived at the place he had wanted to live all of his life, New Hampshire. When B&C decided to relocate to California, Russ decided to change careers and joined Digital Equipment Corporation. He mustered out of DEC in 1996 during their historic free fall into oblivion, and began his final career as an independent insurance broker, affiliated with McBriarty Insurance Agency, Inc. of Milford. During his work career, Russ won several honors including Digital’s Marketing Achievement Award and the prestigious Marketing Leadership Honor. He was named by the International Data Base Association as their Man of the Year in 1992, for his success in promoting PICK/UNIX software into the business applications mainstream. He was also the co-founder of the Southern California Chapter of SOCAP, a cross industry group concerned with business professionalism and responsibilities to their customer base. Among his outside passions were conservation and environmental protection. Russ was a contributing member to more than two dozen such groups and served on the Milford Conservation Commission for 13 years, twelve of those as Chairman. Starting in 1972, Russ was constantly involved in Youth programs. He served as National Chief for the Anaheim chapter of Y-Indian Guides, coached baseball for 24 years, and soccer for 8 years. In Milford, he served in many capacities of the Milford Community Athletic Association, and at one point was directing two sports programs simultaneously. He oversaw the expansion of baseball from 160 registrants to more than 400 players in just three years. He co-founded the MCAA soccer program which he directed for 12 years and also served as MCAA President. His single proudest accomplishment was the concept, design, and project management of the creation of the MCAA North River Road Field complex, a multi-use 6 acre park in Milford, built by volunteer labor and donations only. He was named the first MCAA MVP, became only the second person to be named a Lifetime Member, and won the MCAA Memorial Ed Nichols Community Service Award. In 2008, the MCAA fields were named the Russ Monbleau Youth Athletic Fields Complex. In 2001, Babe Ruth Leagues, Inc., honored Russ with their presentation of the Lefty Gomez Award, the highest honor achieved by a volunteer. Russ earned this award after many years as a Babe Ruth baseball Director and then as the New Hampshire Babe Ruth State Softball Commissioner. As Commissioner, within in a few years, Russ grew the softball program in New Hampshire to one of the largest in the country and initiated many innovation that were later adopted on a national level. In addition, he was also a certified Babe Ruth Baseball and Softball Umpire and was awarded the position as New England Regional Softball Advisor. In 2009, he was elected to the New England Babe Ruth Hall of Fame. He is survived by his loving wife, Joyce S. (Gibson) Monbleau of Milford, NH; three sons and a daughter-in-law, Gregg Monbleau and his children, Tyler, Payton and Logan of Chesterfield, MI, Ron & Alison Monbleau and their children, Mark, Brandon and Katie of West Palm Beach, FL, Russell N. Monbleau III and his children, Aden, Landon, Nolan and Faythe of Milford, NH; a brother, Wayne Monbleau of Sparta, NJ; a sister, Elaine Bredimus of Salem, MA; many nieces and nephews. Memorial visiting hours are Wednesday, September 29th from 2-4 & 6-8 pm in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm Street, Milford, NH. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, September 30th at 1:00 pm in the First Congregational Church of Milford, UCC, 10 Union Street, Milford. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the MCAA, P.O. Box 625, Milford, NH 03055.