Retired Colonel A. Russell Pytko

OXFORD – Retired Colonel A. Russell Pytko, of Sutton Ave., died Saturday, April 18, 2026, at the Jewish Healthcare Center in Worcester, after a short illness. He was born on Dana Road in Oxford on May 26, 1926, 99 years ago.

He is survived by his wife, Carol A. (Bedard) Pytko of Oxford; his daughter, Deborah T. Pytko of Portsmouth, RI; two sisters, Jane H. Lipski of Charlton, and Ann M. Bealle Stoesz of Santa Fe, NM; two stepsons, Peter L. Berthiaume and his wife Karin, and Jon P. Berthiaume, all of Sunapee, NH; and his grand-dog, Autumn Leigh Pytko.

He was predeceased by his first wife, Patricia M. (McArdle) Pytko; three brothers, Roger Pytko Sr., Donald Pytko, and Paul P. Pytko; and two sisters, Jeanne Tessier and Janet Saad.

He was the son of the late George A. and Inez E. (Bedard) Pytko. He graduated from St. John’s High School in 1944, and enlisted in the Navy in 1943 prior to graduating. Later in life, Col. Pytko served on the Physical Plant Committee of the Board of Trustees for the school. In 2009, he was appointed to the Board of Trustees and was one of the principal architects in the development of an infrastructure report for the St. John’s Campus.

He began active military service in a Navy V-5 program at Harvard University in 1944, and subsequently earned a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University. He then progressed through the Navy/Marine flight training programs at numerous naval aviation bases throughout the U.S.

Col. Pytko was deployed to Korea in 1950 and NAS Atsugi Japan in 1953. Upon returning to the U.S., he was selected as a test pilot at the Naval Air Test Station in Patuxent River, MD. During his 2 tours there, he flew over 100 different models of fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. He continued his education with numerous staff and school assignments during his 30-year military career.

After attaining the rank of Colonel, he served a final combat mission in Vietnam, where some of his time was spent as the First Marine Division Air Officer. He received many awards during his military service, including a Legion of Merit with Combat V, and a second Legion of Merit Citation just prior to retirement while serving in Washington, DC.

After the completion of his military service in 1973, he worked on several civilian construction projects for Bechtel Corporation in San Francisco, CA, including the Washington Metro, Boston’s “Big Dig,” and Saudi Arabia International Airport. He also completed a 3-year assignment to the Republic of Singapore as a senior aviation consultant to the Ministry of Defense, for the introduction of the A4Skyhawk to the Singapore Air Force.

Col. Pytko was active in the Oxford community and a member of the Oxford Historical Commission and St. Roch’s Church, where he was a member and served as a lector.

A funeral will be held on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, from Paradis-Givner Funeral Home, 357 Main St., Oxford, followed by a Mass at 11 a.m. at St. Roch’s Church, 332 Main St., Oxford. Burial will follow at North Cemetery in Oxford. Calling hours are Monday, April 27, 2026, from 4-7 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. John’s School, 378 Main St., Shrewsbury, MA 01545, or to the Potter League for Animals, 87 Oliphant Ln, Middletown, RI 02842.