Walter William Russell

Walter William Russell, 65, of Long Island, passed away on Monday, December 16th after a two year battle with a rare form of Pancreatic Cancer. He spent much of his life here on Long Island and lived in different towns over the years – he grew up in West Islip, and raised his three children with his wife Nancy in Kings Park. Although he’s always been a Long Islander at heart, his final years lead him to Dallas, Texas, and eventually Rockwall, Texas, where his youngest daughter Mallory and her husband Pedro reside.  He was an extremely devout husband to his wife Nancy who passed in 2001, and the proudest parent & grandparent to their three children and two grandchildren.

Beloved by many, Walter was a big part of the motorcycle community here on Long Island, and has already received a tremendous outpouring of love from friends & colleagues in addition to his family. “Dad was the kind of person that everyone loved as a friend, mentor, and all around special person, and while I've always known that, the tremendous outpouring of love, sympathies, and stories that have been shared with us since his passing has only cemented that knowledge," his eldest daughter Cait shared

Although Walt had a degree in Computer Science, and worked at Grumman, Cabletron, and made lifetime friendships and bonds, after his wife Nancy passed, he turned his lifetime passion for motorcycles into a career, opening Ready Riders in 2003, and immersing himself in the local community, often hosting Charity Events, and always offering a listening ear to those who needed it. Shortly after his decision to close his shop over almost 15 years after opening, he worked for Tucker Rocky / Bikers' Choice, one of the largest distributors of motorcycle parts, apparel and accessories in the country, where he connected with industry colleagues across the tri-state.

Before moving to Texas, he worked for Suffolk Harley Davidson in Oakdale for over 2 years, quickly rising to the Sales Manager. At Suffolk HD, he touched many lives, with more than one colleague stating he was a mentor and true friend, a sentiment echoed by colleagues at Maverick Harley Davidson in Carrollton, TX, where he continued working in the industry he loved until his cancer diagnosis.

Although Walt had a tremendous passion for motorcycles, nothing held a bigger space in his heart than his three children, Cait, Tim, and Mallory, and his two grandchildren, Ellie and Ruth. It brought him peace knowing that all three of his children had wonderful partners & families to rely on even in his absence. He was extremely proud of both Tim and Cait becoming entrepreneurs and business owners like himself, as well as Mallory's passion for languages, working on her masters, and her career. Walt was just as proud of his children’s spouses, Amy Russell, Tim’s wife, Joe Galletta, Cait’s husband, and Pedro Rodriguez-Garcia Jr., respectively. He not only welcomed them into the family with open arms, but always did everything to encourage and support them personally and professionally.

Walter is survived by his loving children Cait, Tim, and Mallory and their spouses, as well as his beloved grandchildren, who were truly the light of his life in his final days.