Russell D. Jones

Russell Dean Jones died peacefully at Oak Terrace on Saturday, December 10, 2022.

Memorial Service will be held on Monday, December 19, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, Lake Crystal.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at church.  Burial will be at Butternut Valley Cemetery.  Northview-North Mankato Mortuary is assisting the family with arrangements. Memorials are preferred to LCWM Scholarship Association.

Russell was born on January 20, 1931, on the family farm in Butternut Valley Township, Blue Earth County, MN to Benjamin and Amilda (Gilbertson) Jones. He attended country school and graduated from Lake Crystal High School in 1947 and the University of MN Agricultural School in 1950.  Russell was drafted into the Army and served in the Korean War in 1952 and 1953.

He returned home and began farming the family farm in 1954. On March 22, 1958 he married Marcia Jean Stordahl in Mankato MN, and they continued to make their home on the farm in Butternut Valley until moving to Lake Crystal upon Russell’s retirement from farming. Russell and Marcia had four children: Trish, Steven, Michael and Melissa.

In addition to the farm, Russell was active in the community, including service on the Butternut Valley Township Board as well as the Crystal Co-operative Board for approximately 20 years. He was also a member of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Butternut and contributed to the life of the church community in many ways, including leadership as council president for 8 years.

In November 1968 Russell entered in-patient chemical dependency treatment at Hazelton.  He maintained his sobriety for over 50 years with

the help of on-going participation in AA, and his children remember many Saturday night open meetings at 5^th Avenue. Russell accompanied many others on their recovery journeys, as well as helped start groups in Lake Crystal and Madelia.

Russell is survived by his children, Trish (Steve) Reedstrom of Mankato; Steven (Janet) Jones of North Mankato; and Melissa (Joe) Wagner of Lake Crystal; grandchildren, Liz Zaruba of Mankato; Megan Reedstrom of Grand Meadow, MN; Daniel Reedstrom (Joshua Zmarzly) of Manchester, CT; Courtney (Matthew) Jacob of Dayton, OH; Allyson Jones (Nicole Beer) of Waukee, IA, Brittany Wagner (Tonia Tinetti) of Minneapolis, Zachary Wagner of Chicago, IL, and Kayla Wagner (Ganamo Bati) of Minneapolis; four great-grandchildren, Jacob, Samuel, Isabelle, and Luce; sister, Nedra Ward of Janesville, MN; and brother-in-law, Jack (Pam) Stordahl of Mankato; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Marcia, in 2019; his son, Michael, killed in a farming accident in 1967; his parents, sisters and brothers-in-law, Betty (Bob) Hazelwood, Janet (Lowell) Johnson, Benita (Tony) Osmundson, Gwen (Fred) Pfeiffer, Jack Ward; grandson-in-law, Austin Zaruba and nephew Joe Stordahl.