Russell Kay

Florida journalist, publicist for the State of Florida, entrepreneur, and Tamiami Trailblazer

RUSSELL KAY (Aneth Russell Kay)
Born on February 1, 1892, in Berkeley, CA
Died: October 6, 1977, Tampa, FL

Russell was a Florida journalist who wrote the popular syndicated column, “Too Late To Classify” which ran from 1949 to 1971.  He was a publicity director for the State of Florida, along with other places, between the 1920s and 1970s. He was also an entrepreneur in the Hillsborough and Pinellas County areas. 

Kay was a member of the 1923 Tamiami Trailblazers, who drove model Ts through the Everglades from Fort Myers to Miami to publicize the need for a road connecting the two towns. He wrote a brief memoir about the journey entitled, “Tamiami Trail Blazers: A Personal Memoir.”

EARLY LIFE

Russell grew up in Berkely, CA. His mother, Mary, was an artist and his father, George, was a dentist. His mother died when he was in elementary school. His father remarried (Helen) and they had a daughter, Maude. 

Unhappy in his new step-family, Russell dropped out of school in the 8th grade, left home, and earned money doing various jobs along the California coast. He sold copies of the popular five-cent Liberty Magazine on the train between Los Angeles and San Francisco. He also worked as a bellhop and elevator operator in the area hotels. He said those years taught him how to get along with people. 

In 1914, Russell wanted to join the war effort (WWI) as a reporter but was turned down. At just 5’3”, he was told he was too short to see over the trenches. 

Edgar Wright, owner of the Florida Grower Magazine, was visiting California when he met Russell. He was impressed with his work ethic, and offered Russell a place to stay and a job if he wanted to move to Florida. Russell jumped at the chance to leave California. He saved the money he earned from selling magazines until he could buy a one-way train ticket to Florida. He stayed with Edgar and his wife and it wasn’t long before he saved enough to get a place of his own.

Russell spent a number of years working for the Florida Grower magazine. He started by sweeping the floors and working as a ‘gopher,’ then he worked his way up to become the managing editor. His job required him to travel throughout the state to citrus farms, newspapers and publishing companies. He built relationships with successful businessmen, made contacts in state and city agencies, and met many politicians. Maintaining these relationships enabled him to excel in his publicity work later. in his career. They were also beneficial when he bought the Florida Clipping Service, and when he started the Florida News Service.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY

He met LaVerne Pratt and they married on Sept. 10, 1915, in Jacksonville, Florida.
(LaVerne was born Sept. 30, 1889, in Watervliet, Michigan, and died May 24, 1972, in Tampa, FL.)

They had one daughter, Margaret “Peggy” Louise Kay (Doll).
(Born Sept. 23, 1924 - Died Sept. 8, 2019, in Tampa, FL)

LaVerne had relocated from Michigan to Brooksville, FL with her father and brother. Her father was in the lumber business in Brooksville for a while but decided to return to Michigan. LaVerne and her brother, Chester, opted to stay in Florida. LaVerne had recently graduated from the Chicago Conservatory of Music and was an accomplished pianist. The two of them moved to Tampa and LaVerne taught piano lessons.

Russell and LaVerne often traveled around the State of Florida and parts of the US with their daughter, Peggy. In his role as publicist, the Kays also traveled to Hawaii, Europe, and South America, promoting travel to those destinations.

During WWII, Russell and LaVerne opened their home on San Jose St., Tampa, to servicemen and their wives. Rooms were hard to come by for the thousands of servicemen being ordered to MacDill, Drew, and Henderson Fields in Tampa. The Kays opened their two-story home to many young military couples over the course of WWII. They enjoyed the warm hospitality of “Mama” and “Papa Kay.” Some of those couples stayed in touch with the Kays, as well as their daughter, Peggy, for many years after the war was over. 

Russell often had several businesses operating at the same time, which is why the timeline of his work described on this website overlap. He took opportunities when they presentated themselves and made adjustments to fit it all in. He created jobs for many people and helped them better their situation without expecting anything in return.

PERSONAL VIEWS

Russell was an advocate for treating one another with kindness and dignity. Through humorous and heartfelt stories, he challenged readers about issues of the day. His writings encouraged equality and respect between races. He emphasized the importance of understanding and appreciating the culture of the Seminole Tribe. Kay also valued conservation, especially the natural beauty of Florida. He worked to promote establishing the Everglades as a National Park.