Verona Hunt Russell, 86, passed away in her home in Snowflake on Thursday, June 1, 2017. A reception will be held at 6 p.m. on Friday, June 9, at her home at 2910 W. Putter Drive in Snowflake. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 10, with a visitation one hour prior, at the Main Street Chapel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 48 N. Main St. Burial will follow at the R.V. “Mike” Ramsay Memorial Cemetery. She was born Aug. 22, 1930, to Jefferson Taylor and Laura Ballard Hunt, and was the youngest of seven children. Verona grew up during World War II. She watched two of her brothers, Quince and Paul, go to war and never return. Verona spoke often of her brothers and the fond memories she had of them. She grew up in Snowflake and moved to Winslow with her mother and two of her older brothers, Jeff and Rue, while her father worked on the railroad. A few years later while living in Phoenix with her eldest sister, Lois, and brother-in-law, Arlo, Verona met the love of her life, William Howard Russell. Verona and Bill were married, May 21, 1953, in the Mesa Arizona Temple. They had four children, Lolly, Robert, Mike and Diane. After two cities, six houses, 16 grandchildren, several jobs, dozens of dogs, hundreds of Sunday roasts, tons of recycled Cool Whip containers, thousands of Pepsis, millions of Ding Dongs, billions of Cheetos, countless hugs, tears and laughs, her sweet husband passed away on Christmas Day 1998. A few years after his passing, she was delighted to move in with her son and daughter-in-law. She loved being close to family, and spent the next 13 years of her life enjoying the comings and goings of her busy children, grandchildren and quickly multiplying great-grandchildren. The family takes comfort in knowing she is having a grand reunion right now. She will likely be visiting with her mother and father. She will be telling her brothers and sister how much she missed them. She will be meeting the sister she never met. She will be holding her baby son, Bobby, who she has not seen since he was 8 days old. She will be hugging her husband who has, we are sure, been preparing for his love to come to him. While this reunion is happening, her daughter, Lolly, along with her three daughters, five sons and 18 grandchildren, would like to say, “No more pain, no more infirmities, just sweet peace.” Her son, Mike, along with his wife Kristi, one daughter, five sons and 18 grandchildren, wish to tell her, “We’ll see you along the way.” Her youngest daughter, Diane, her husband, Rod, and two daughters have a message for mom, “You’ll be forever 39 in our hearts.” Owens Livingston Mortuary of Snowflake was in charge of the arrangements.
