Bonita Russell

Bonita Lea (Bonnie) Russell, age 89, of Fort Dodge, passed away peacefully on April 19, 2025 at Friendship Haven surrounded by her family, who loved her dearly.

Funeral services will be 10:30 AM Monday, April 28, 2025 in the chapel of Laufersweiler Funeral Home. A visitation will begin 1 hour prior to the service at the funeral home. A private family burial will be held at Calvary Cemetery in Pocahontas.

Bonita Lea Pechan was born Jan 6, 1936, and was raised on their family farm near Rolfe. She attended country school there, and later graduated from the Pocahontas Public High School in 1954. She then moved to Ft. Dodge and attended the Fort Dodge Area Business College. In 1956 she married William D. Russell, and they raised four children. Linda (Paul) Habhab of Nolanville, Texas, Robert (Chris) Russell of Ft. Dodge, Teresa (Steve) Hutchinson of Humboldt, and Ann Marie (Mark) Beane of Fort Dodge. She was blessed with eight grandchildren: Travis Habhab, Karissa Habhab-Stanley, Robert Russell, Tyler Russell, Vanessa Trujillo, Katelyn Beane, Eli Beane, and Emmett Utley and twelve great-grandchildren; Haven, Hollyn; Tyson Habhab; Alexandria, Lyla and; Sophia Russell; Mila, Vivian, and Willa Scherff; and Anthony, Avaya and; Aubrielle Stanley. She is also survived by her sister Nancy Anderson, and many sisters-in-law, nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Bonnie worked at O'Connell Bookkeeping for 30 years. After her retirement, she worked part-time at Heartland Communications, Trinity Regional Hospital, and the Wal-Mart Jewelry Dept. before she began her favorite job, tutoring elementary children as part of the Foster Grandparent program at both Feelhaver and St. Edmond's elementary schools for eight years. Bonnie also enjoyed attending plays and musicals, playing computer games, and socializing with friends in her dominos group, card group, the Red Hats Society, Catholic Daughters of America, Monican Mothers, and the Barberettes. But most of all, Bonnie loved spending time and traveling with her children and grandchildren.

Her final years were spent in Friendship Haven, where she enjoyed all the various activities, crafts, parties, and especially their excellent staff.

She was preceded in death by her parents Edward and Lillian (Walsh) Pechan of Pocahontas, her brother Dr. Ronald Pechan of Los Angeles, California, and her former husband, William D. Russell of Fort Dodge.

Memorials may be left to family discretion.