Name: Gray Russell
Where do you live? Lorraine Avenue, Montclair 07043
When did you move there? 1984
Where did you grow up? Fairmount Avenue, LaSalle Road, No. Mountain Avenue, Montclair
How do you make a living? OR What is your everyday passion?
I’m the Sustainability Officer for the Township of Montclair, and I ran their Environmental Affairs Office for the past two decades; I retire on July 1.
Climate change / clean energy, rock & roll and most popular music, travel, hiking, and (soccer) football are my passions.
Coffee, tea or …? Coffee light no sugar, please.
What’s your idea of a perfect weekend day? Watching Premier League (soccer) football in the morning, then hiking, preferably on NJ’s Appalachian Trail.
What’s your favorite local restaurant? Café Giotto
What’s on your nightstand? Paris in the Present Tense by Mark Helprin
What are you listening to? Lake Street Dive, Jon Batiste, Bruce, new McCartney, Jean Rohe
What are your current indulgences? Making plans for a cross-country expedition, 2022.
What talent you would most like to have? Musical
What’s the worst-kept (or best-kept) secret about Montclair? It’s still a cool town.
What do you hope they say about you at your funeral? “A Renaissance man, who loved living… did you see him dancing at his Centenarian Party?…amazing that he was so healthy at 105!”