Russell L. Southern

Russell’s Celebration of Life Memorial Service will be 11 a.m., Saturday, October 28th at the First Christian Church, 314 E. 2nd St. N. in Newton.

Burial will be at the Newton Union Cemetery in Newton with Military Honors.

Following the Celebration of Life Service and the burial the family will greet friends back at the church with a lunch.

Memorials to the First Christian Church may be left at the church on the morning of the service or at the Wallace Family Funeral Home. Memorials may also be mailed to the funeral home, please add, Attn: Southern Family on the envelope.

Russell Lee Southern, the son of Loyd Winter and Lelia L. Walker Southern was born on October 18, 1925 in West Grove, Iowa. He was a graduate of Moulton High School in 1944. Russell served his country in the U. S. Navy from July of 1944 to April of 1946 during WW II.

On June 29, 1946, Russell was united in marriage with Colleen Stull in Moulton, Iowa. They were blessed with two children, Denny and Donna. Colleen died on June 22, 1990. On April 13, 1994, Russell was united in marriage with JoAnn McNew Stevens in Hawaii.

He worked for the Maytag Company for 40.2 years, working as a maintenance supervisor. Russell was a member of the First Christian Church, American Legion Post 111 and VFW Post 1655.

Russell went to be with his Lord on Friday, October 20, 2017. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife of 44 years, Colleen; son-in-law, Ernie Cook, Jr.; step grandson, Aaron Henning; brother Robert Southern and two sisters, Edith Singley and Bette Jean Cary.

Those left to honor Russell’s memory are his wife, JoAnn of Newton; children, Denny (Jodie) Southern of Palm Harbor, Florida and Donna Cook of Newton; step children, Debbie Pherigo of Texas, Mark (Judy) Stevens of Newton, Pam Davidson of Newton and Mike Stevens of Newton; his six grandchildren, W. Miles (Molly) Southern, Michael Lee (Katie) Southern, Andrew Russell (Mary) Southern, Christopher Thomas (Elizabeth) Cook, Katherine Lynne (Darrel) Meling and Kevin Lee (Kristi) Cook; his five step grandchildren, Amy (Rick) Drake, Matt Davidson, Grant Davidson, Jake Stevens and John Stevens; nine great-grandchildren, Harvey, Olive, Wyatt, Madison, Thomas, Maynard, Cadance, Emerson and Eleanor; four step great-grandchildren, Breanna, Nicholas, Logan and Jordan; his siblings, Richard (Darlene) Southern of Centerville, Beatrice French of Moravia, Jim (Betty) Southern of Newton and Roy Southern of Rock Island, Illinois.

 Service Information