Randall Russell Last

Profile Updated: April 9, 2023
Residing In: Golden Valley, MN USA
Spouse/Partner: Ann Higgins, since Oct. 1, 1977
Homepage: www.walruspartners.com
Occupation: Portfolio Manager / Registered Investment Advisor
Children: Nora Elizabeth Jury-Last, born May 14, 1990, attended Drake University, Des Moines IA

Sian More…Ellen, born June 1, 1994, attending University of Toronto a/o Sept., '12.
Comments:

Left "The OC" to attend UW-Madison. Drew draft lottery #269 so ducked The War: my heart goes out to those who couldn't miss that one and especially those who didn't come back from Damn 'Nam. Is there a more dangerous place in the world than fighting a war for a government that doesn't care to win it?

Attended Madison on the 7 Year Plan: graduated in '76. Had the best summer job ever during 5 of those years: worked for a carnival gaming company - got to "See The USA" through the windshield of a Chevrolet(GMC, actually) truck(converted school bus, actually).

Settled in the Twin Cities in '77 as dazed and confused as anyone at that time and, on a dare(from myself), applied for a job as a stock broker. Started calling myself Russell or Russ - it's my middle name; I always hated "Randy." It seems to have worked: became an idiot savant for a MN-based investment bank until the firm got sold out from under us. Learned my lesson(have a piece of the action) and started my own investment advisory co. in '97. My partner's name is Walter so we call ourselves Walrus Partners.

Been doing that ever since and am enjoying it too much to consider retirement. Of course, having kids later in life and having to send them to college in my 60s might explain it, too.

School Story:

Paul Kern called to tell me about this site and the 44 ReU so that brought back all kinds of memories of band hi-jinx. What a cool guy Mr. Tom Stevenson was. Can I get a witness?

Jamming w/ Harvey Cobb, rest his soul, in the jazz band.

Getting sent in from marching band practice when the saxophone section(Ruby, Ramsey, Despot, me) spontaneously broke into our imitation of James Brown's Famous Flames.

Sitting in front of Clay Larson's tuba and the trumpet section.

Goofing off in the drum section w/ Danny Reynolds and Dale DeWitt.

Haven't played saxophone since mine was stolen @ UW; "serial beginner" on guitar but still noodle on it now and again.

Freshman football: having to block both Kazmierski and Kosikowski in practice. Was it Bertling that rang Big Frank's bell vs. New Berlin?

Chemistry class: who was more bent, Parsons & I, whose project was making rum from molasses, or Mr. Kulinski for letting us do it? Maybe there's a reason Mr. K gave me that "Con Man Extraordinaire" medal.

High School Bowl, w/ Hay, Parsons, Peterson and McDermott: we won a squeaker and lost a laugher.

"The Swede" Bo Westman: he & I going to The Scene nightclub to hear John Mayall's Blues Breakers. (Note: John Mayall is still going strong!). Where's Bo?

Getting suspended for "selling pornography:" Milwaukee Kaleidoscope underground paper.

Prior to Senior Year a lot of my friends were Class of '68 and my steady was Class of '70. So, Senior Year I learned how many really cool people there were in the class of '69.

And then there was Lindholm's famous amphibious flivver....

Randall Russell's Latest Interactions

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Mar 22, 2024 at 3:33 AM
Randall Russell Last added a comment on his Profile.
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Feb 29, 2024 at 9:35 AM
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Apr 09, 2023 at 10:21 PM

Happy #*^&@$* Birthday, Paul! Again! ;-)

Apr 09, 2023 at 8:42 PM
Randall Russell Last has a birthday today. New comment added.
Apr 09, 2023 at 8:49 PM

Posted on: Mar 22, 2023 at 3:33 AM

Randall Russell Last has a birthday today. New comment added.
Mar 22, 2022 at 6:22 AM

Posted on: Mar 22, 2022 at 3:33 AM

Randall Russell Last has a birthday today. New comment added.
Mar 22, 2021 at 2:01 PM

Posted on: Mar 22, 2021 at 3:33 AM

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Apr 07, 2020 at 7:07 PM

Posted on: Apr 07, 2020 at 6:40 PM

Happy &%$*@# Birthday, Paul! Best wishes, sincerely, to you & Judy and all of yours.

Mar 22, 2020 at 3:35 AM
Mar 22, 2019 at 3:33 AM
Mar 22, 2018 at 3:34 AM
Jan 24, 2018 at 11:33 AM

Who doesn't remember school dances in the cafetaria? Tom's band, The Lyrics, was the most frequent entertainment, as I recall. I think Al Augustine(OCHS '68) was in the band, too. I don't recollect the other 2 members. To this day, when I hear the song "Midnight Hour" I think of those dances, before I think of The Rascals or Wilson Pickett singing it on the radio. Tom was a cool dude that I didn't really get to know much until senior year. He wore baggies & ban-lon and Stacies, too, but was above all that goofy "greaser vs. preppy" stuff. Rest In Peace, Tom.

Randall Russell Last has a birthday today. New comment added.
Mar 22, 2017 at 9:33 AM

Posted on: Mar 22, 2017 at 3:33 AM

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Jun 22, 2016 at 10:37 AM
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Mar 22, 2016 at 11:33 AM

Posted on: Mar 17, 2016 at 11:23 AM

Happy Impending(if that doesn't sound ominous, what does?) Birthday, Tom!

Mar 09, 2016 at 10:34 AM

Missed it! Well, Happy Belated BDay, muh man. May you have many more!

Randall Russell Last added a comment on his Profile. New comment added.
Nov 20, 2022 at 11:36 AM

Posted on: Mar 09, 2016 at 10:31 AM

My Blackbelt son! Pierce is now a 4-time National Champion, a 1-time Junior Olympic Champion, and a 1-time International Champion in Shotokan Karate! He has qualified for the AAU USA World Team, and will compete in Dublin, Ireland in June of this year (2016). Stay tuned for results from that competition!!
Randall Russell Last has left an In Memory comment for his Profile.
Feb 29, 2016 at 3:33 PM

Ted & I had emailed back & forth some prior to ReU44, mostly about investing & current events. I don't even remember how we initially got in touch. Ted was a very thoughtful guy. I didn't know of his illness and that he was confined to the wheelchair until the re-union; it never came up and he never mentioned it to me in our correspondence. He was a quietly courageous man. Rest in Peace, Ted and Ann! ?

Randall Russell Last has a birthday today. New comment added.
Mar 22, 2015 at 11:50 AM

Posted on: Mar 22, 2015 at 3:33 AM

Dec 31, 2014 at 1:55 PM

Happy Birthday, muh man. Great to see you again at ReU44!

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Posted: Dec 17, 2013 at 12:22 AM
Hasn't changed a bit.