Jonetta Mildred Russell

Jonetta Mildred (Miller) Russell died on September 19, 2022 at Spirit Trust Lutheran Home in Hanover, Pennsylvania.

Jonetta was born August 20, 1935 in Waymart, Pennsylvania to Harvey and Antionette Miller, and grew up on a dairy farm.  She graduated from Waymart High School in 1953.  She graduated from Wheaton College in 1957 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology.  She worked with her mother in Lower Buck’s County Public Schools teaching initially in elementary school for 14 years.

She married Edward Russell on August 19, 1967.  She graduated with her Master’s Degree in Education from American University in Washington DC.  She taught in Montgomery County Public Schools from 1971-2002.  She was a high school biology teacher and AP Biology teacher at John F Kennedy High School in Silver Spring and later at Gaithersburg High School in Gaithersburg, Maryland.  In 1992, she taught at the Blair Magnet Science Program, at Blair High School in Silver Spring, as the research project coordinator, and many of her students under her guidance received national scholarships and awards from the Intel (Westinghouse) Science Foundation Science Talent Search for their scientific research projects.

She retired in 2002 and she and Ed moved to their farmette in Hanover, PA, and she continued collecting daisy and button glassware, and her love of sewing.

She is preceded in death by her parents Harvey Miller (1953), Antionette Miller (2005) sister, Gloria Jordan (2011).  She is survived by her loving, faithful husband Edward Aloysius Kelly Russell Sr, three children Elaine (Craig) Cochran, Edward (Tiffany) Russell, Eileen Russell, and five grandchildren Kathryn Cochran, Casey Eisenhour, Elizabeth Russell, Emmett Russell and Miles Eisenhour.

Jonetta had a love for biology, teaching, and education.  Even more importantly, though, she had a love of family.  She enjoyed when her children and grandchildren would visit the farm in her retirement years.  Her delicious home made bread, pie crusts, tomato sauce, and holiday recipes are being continued, but never an exact match to her delicious treats she would make.

But in her own words, “above it all” was her never ending faith in Jesus Christ as her Savior.  She left in her own handwriting this passage from John 14: 1-6 to share at the time of her death, so share with us the assurance we all have as believers in Jesus Christ of our Eternal Home and Life:

14 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many [a]mansions; if it were not so,[b]I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.”  5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

A graveside service will be held 11 AM, Saturday, October 1, 2022 at Christ Church Cemetery, 131 Christ Church Road, Littlestown, PA, with Pastor Scott Morgan officiating.  Immediately following the graveside service is a light luncheon at Littlestown Chapel, 1144 Bollinger Road, Littlestown, PA.

The family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation to Littlestown Chapel.  https://onrealm.org/TheChapel/-/form/give/now

The Kenworthy Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc., 269 Frederick Street, Hanover, PA is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.  Memories and condolences may be shared at www.kenworthyfh.com.

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