Russell L. Southern

Russell L. Southern, 92, of Newton, went to be with his Lord Friday, Oct. 20, 2017.

Russell’s celebration of life memorial service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 at the First Christian Church, 314 E. Second 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.

Those left to honor Russell’s memory are his wife, JoAnn of Newton; children, Denny (Jodie) Southern of Palm Harbor, Fla., 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, Ill.

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.