DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Lee T. Russell, 70, of Dartmouth, Mass, died Monday, Aug. 29, at his home after a nine-year battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

He was the husband of Cecilia M. (Pacheco) Russell.

Born in South Paris, Maine, on May 21, 1935, he was the son of Phemie Jane (Ross) Russell of Norway, Maine, and the late A. Llewyllen Russell. A graduate of South Paris High School, he had attended Boston University prior to enlisting in the U.S. Air Force.

While in the Air Force, he was stationed at Otis Air Force Base on Cape Cod, where he was a member of the 333rd Field Maintenance Squadron.

He received an associate’s degree in science from Bristol Community College and a bachelor’s degree in aviation management from Bridgewater State College. He had more than 35 years experience in aviation mechanics.

He was a flight engineer for the Woods Hole Oceanographic research flight facility, and was employed as an aircraft and power plant mechanic at Mass Air and Newport Aero. He had been president of Southeast Air, Inc., in New Bedford, and also served as their director of maintenance.

In 1980, he joined the faculty of Wentworth Institute as an associate professor in the College of Aeronautics. He was also the aviation coordinator at Ocean County Career and Technical Institution in Lakewood, N.J., and returned to Wentworth Institute-East Coast Aero Tech as an instructor until his retirement in 1995.

Survivors include his wife; his mother; a daughter, Lori Ann Russell-Pelsue, and her husband, Mark; and two grandsons, Thayer Joseph and Taber Armstrong Russell-Pelsue, all of Dartmouth; as well as many good friends.