Shirley June Russell, age 84, a resident of Carol Stream, IL, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Sunday, November 10, 2019, at Johnson Health Care Center at Windsor Park with her family by her side.  She was born April 7, 1935 in Berwyn, IL to John and Ethel Auwerda.

Shirley graduated from Glenbard West High School. While at a church camp she met the love of her life, Ron Russell.  They were married on December 26, 1953.  They were longtime residents of Wheaton and active members of the Glen Ellyn Covenant Church.  In later years they loved to spend time at their farm outside Abilene, Kansas and their home in Bethany Beach, Michigan each where they had wonderful friends.

Shirley was passionate about her Christian faith and was active in church, a committed woman of prayer, went on numerous short-term mission projects, and supported her husband as he traveled with First Love International doing missionary construction projects, primarily for orphans.

She was a classic homemaker who enjoyed cooking and baking. She loved to entertain family and friends and could set a beautiful table, prepare a wonderful meal, and serve it with grace and ease. She had a knack for finding the perfect gift and wrapping it beautifully with love and attention to detail. She still wrote letters and mailed cards. And, oh, did she love to iron! As she ironed she would pray for the wearer of whatever she was pressing at the moment.  She had a servant heart. Her family was everything to her and she was committed to them and to her marriage. She was proud of her Dutch heritage, except at Christmas she would declare she was "a little bit Swedish." She was an exceptional, beautiful woman in every way.

She is survived by her husband, Ron Russell, two daughters, Beverly (Kevin) Wegrzyn and Bunny (Michael) Mirrilees; son-in-law, Eric Lund; and daughter-in-law, Kristen Russell; her grandchildren, Andrew (Melaine) Lund, Tyler (Lydia) Lund, Christopher (Emily) Lund, Aaron (Kate) Wegrzyn, Taylor (Courtney) Wegrzyn, Rachel (Eric) Westman, Sarah (Casey) Schuring, Hannah (Garrett) Krohn, Kelly (Nate) Parks, and Iain and Emily Mirrilees; her great-grandchildren, Truman and Conrad Lund, Addy, Amelia, Ayla, and Riley Lund; Ben and Luke Wegrzyn; Charlie and Shaun Westman; Caleb and Beckett Schuring; her sister Elaine (Larry) Resh; and sister-in-law, Marion Auwerda.

She was preceded in death by three children,  Linda Russell, Cheri Lund and Ronnie Russell; grandson, Justin Carlson; and brother, John Auwerda.

A visitation will be held on Saturday, November 23, from 9:30 until 11:00 a.m. at Glen Ellyn Evangelical Covenant Church where a funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. Refreshments will follow.  Interment will be held at Chapel Hill Gardens West in Oakbrook Terrace, IL.

Memorial gifts may be directed to First Love International, Rockford, IL ( https://firstloveinternational.com/ ), Gideons International (Abilene, KS) https://www.gideons.org/donate or Mt. Pleasant Presbyterian Church, 1344 Daisy Rd, Abilene, KS 67410.

Family and friends may sign a guestbook at hultgrenfh.com. For more information, please call Hultgren Funeral Home at 630-668-0027.