Bea Russell

Bea Russell had a way of making people feel at home. No matter where she was, those around her always felt like they knew her. She was a strong woman, and looking back at her life, we see the unforgettable impact she made in the world.

Bea was born on September 17, 1929. As a decade, the 1920s was characterized by flappers, prohibition, and gangsters. More notable, however, is the fact that America was prospering like never before. Advancements in manufacturing made products - like cosmetics, cars and ready-to-wear fashions - available to the public at reasonable prices. Also, the introduction of credit meant Americans could spend money freely, and they did. These factors, combined with the uneven ratio of supply to demand, caused the stock market to crash in 1929. America’s carefree attitude was replaced with disillusionment and poverty.

Bea’s birth came just before the country plunged into the Great Depression. Her parents, Peter and Leah (Dennis) Geldhof, lived in Grand Rapids, at 530 Marietta NE. The house was more than just an address; it was a place where friends and relatives gathered to create memories and a place where Bea would enjoy living for most of her life.

Bea and her brother, Paul, spent a lot of time with their extended family, especially since their mother was often ill. She had Tuberculosis, a disease that kept her isolated from her children whenever she was in the hospital. Regulations prohibited children from entering the TB wing, so Bea and Paul would have to wait outside. They would sit quietly in the grass, watching their mother wave from her window. Unfortunately, Leah’s TB was very advanced. She died in 1936, when Bea was just 7 years old.

During the years of her mother’s illness, Bea had a strong network of support from her family. Her father raised his two children as best he could, relying on his extended family to help him. These years taught Bea the importance of family. She vowed that if she ever had children of her own, she would make sure they always came home to a full and loving home.

After graduating from Creston High School, Bea found work at a cigar factory. Soon, however, she had to find another job because she was pinched by one of the factory’s machines. The move to McInerney Spring and Wire proved to be a good one. There, Bea met Jack Russell, a man she described as “the handsome man with black hair who wanted to ask [her] out.” Jack did ask her out and she did accept, but needed an additional day before the date. He would later learn that she had been involved with someone else; however, Jack persevered and won her heart.

Bea and Jack began dating and the relationship grew quickly. They were married on November 4, 1950. Finances were tight, so they decided the honeymoon would have to wait for a few years. They had each other though, and they were soon joined by their children, Lyle and Leah.

Bea’s father passed away before their marriage. He left the home at 530 Marietta NE to Bea, who began raising Lyle and Leah there. While Jack worked as a firefighter, Bea loved taking care of their home, where her children were her top priority. She was undisputedly a disciplinarian; she did not hold off punishment until dad got home. Bea felt the consequences had to be faced “at the time of the crime.” Lyle and Leah remember getting paddleballs for Christmas, and once the string fell off the paddle, it became a tool of discipline. Needless to say, the kids realized that they were better off hiding or disposing of any broken toys.

Bea was also a firm believer in education. She was often frustrated at store clerks who had trouble making change, so she would sit down with her children and a change purse on Sunday afternoons. They learned to count change and do multiplication tables, but afterward, Bea allowed them free time to play Sorry or Parchess while she enjoyed one of her own favorite hobbies - assembling puzzles.

Bea was a strict mother, yet she knew how to have fun as well. Holidays gave her an excuse to be somewhat frivolous. On one particular St. Patrick’s Day, for example, Bea made all of the food green. She loved giving her family events to remember, and this philosophy applied to Christmas as well. Bea would give Lyle and Leah some excuse as to why Santa would come early on Christmas Eve, conveniently leaving the gifts before Jack had to leave for work. Although she did this simply for practical reasons, changing the day made the children remember Christmas all the more.

By the time Lyle and Leah had grown, Bea was ready for grandchildren. “If I knew how much fun grandchildren were,” she said, “I’d have had them first.” Of course, true to form, Bea was not one to spoil her grandchildren . . . too much. She liked doing simple and memorable things for them, like making pancakes in the shapes of their initials.

Jack and Bea’s “grandparent” years were also a time for them to travel. They had never taken a proper honeymoon, but they were eager to make up for it. Since 1973, they had been involved with Navy trips, which took them to every state in the country, with the exception of three. They would never take the direct route to any destination, wanting to see as many different things as possible. Bea loved to see the country and make friends in every place she visited.

No matter where she was, Bea always kept in contact with her relatives and friends from childhood. On Sundays, she would see many of these people at Plainfield United Methodist Church, where she was a member for most of her life. Then, in the afternoon, she would go out to dinner with her friends and their husbands; by evening, the girls had spent the day shopping or at the movies, and the guys had watched the game on TV. It was a full day, the end of which she would often spend writing cards. In addition to the 100+ Christmas cards she handwrote, she kept in touch with her mother-in-law and other relatives on a regular basis. Often times, she would send cards to people for no particular reason, other than she wanted to brighten their lives. She was also an active volunteer at her church. Every year she make cookies for those confined to their home, and she and Jack would deliver them around Christmas time. People loved Bea Russell because she was not afraid to be herself. Although she could be firm at times, it was the small ways she expressed her kindness that made a lasting impression. Her friends and family will remember her as a genuinely good woman who will be part of their memories forever.

Bernice Russell died June 1, 2004. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, Jack; her children Lyle and Hilda Russell and Leah and Scott MacCallum; grandchildren Scott, Rachel, Steve, Ryan and Katie; step-sister Doris (Robert) Stiehl; sister-in-law Lorraine Russell and many close cousins, nieces, nephews and in-laws. Bernice was preceded in death by her brother, Paul. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, June 4 at Van Strien – Creston Chapel, 1833 Plainfield NE with her pastor, Rev. Rob Cornelison from Plainfield United Methodist Church officiating. Relatives and friends are invited to meet with her family at the funeral chapel on Wednesday evening from 7-9 p.m. and on Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. For those who wish, a contribution in memory of Bernice to a charity of your choice is appreciated. You may read Bernice’s Life Story, share a favorite memory or order flowers by visiting her personal webpage at www.lifestorynet.com.