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Obituary
Obituary of Bonnie Russell
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BONNIE JEAN
HEDMAN/HARDISON/RUSSELL
May 31, 1940 - June 28, 2024
1940 - 1958 Born at Tacoma General Hospital and living in Shelton, WA,
Bonnie, a long-time resident of the Shelton area, was known for her quick wit
and mischievous spirit. Growing up at Cushman, while her dad worked on the
dam project and her mom drove the school bus, Bonnie was close to her
brother Harvey, and they both filled their days with laughter and playful
antics. With Harvey, being two years older, they often shared stories about
growing up. One favorite story was when, as toddlers, Harvey placed little
Bonnie into the passenger seat of their dad's car. Harvey crawled into the
driver's seat and played with the gear shift. Soon, the vehicle was rolling
down the hill, to the delight of the two youngsters, even when the vehicle
rolled into a ditch they laughed. Bonnie's family fondly remembers her as the
"jokester" of the household with a big smile and full of laughter.
Bonnie comes from a family with a long history in Mason County,
Washington. Before settling in the area, many Craig family members used
the Cushman residence as the transitional home. Craig Road, which partially
parallels Highway 101, was named after her Uncle Harry Craig and Aunt
Marge, and Uncle Varney Craig. Her grandmother, Ora (Chestnut) Craig, was
also a part of the family's local history on Craig Road. The family began to
settle elsewhere when Uncle Harry moved again, and this time out by Lost
Lake to the Cloquallum farmland, today called the Cloquallum Ranch, before
relocating to Montesano to establish an infamous butcher and meat shop. He
was best friends with Glen Probst and family of Shelton’s Home Meats.
Bonnie stayed at various times at all these places with family, noting as her
niece Crystal (Hedman) Perry stated, “It was like the family had a built-in
childcare system.”
Bonnie's mother, Beulah, purchased the current homestead three miles from
her brother out Cloquallum Road. At times as a teen, Bonnie even stayed
alone at the home with an outhouse during her high school year. She fondly
shared stories of walking or bicycling to Lost Lake to swim and sunbathe.
During these excursions, Bonnie Hedman met Donald Hardison, who lived
nearby and worked at her Uncle Harry's farm. She also had a premonition
about a mysterious man she witnessed from a dock beside the boat launch
who heroically dove into Lost Lake to retrieve the body of a young female
who tragically drowned after a boating accident. Bonnie would meet this
man later in life.
The family was close-knit. Bonnie's Uncle Charles and Aunt Cleo lived in
Agate before relocating to nearby areas to raise dairy cattle. Aunt Marcelle
(Craig) and her husband Emmett Krefting were sole owners of Phillips Lake
before dividing it into properties. The generational family connectedness and
tradition continue with annual family reunions on the Beulah homesteaded
lands, currently owned by Bonnie's two daughters.
Bonnie attended schools in the Tacoma area. During her Junior year, she
attended Irene S. Reed High School in Shelton, before transferring to Lincoln
High School in Tacoma to graduate. She took business courses, sparking an
interest in office management.
1959 - 1998 The Shelton Mason County Journal newspaper archive from
March 5, 1959, includes a section called Cloquallum News mentioning Bonnie
Hedman and Don Hardison wed on the evening of February 28, 1959, at the
Tacoma home of Bonnie's mother, Mrs. Beulah Sather. After their wedding,
Bonnie and Donald lived on McKinley Hill, blocks from many other family
members, before moving to the "white house," where many family members
lived on 35th Street. Bonnie worked with an aunt in Tacoma, WA, developing
film and typesetting before relocating to her mother's Cloquallum homestead
in 1964 to raise her family.
In the Shelton-Mason County Journal newspaper dated April 17, there was an
ad from Lumberman's in Shelton, WA. The ad stated, "Thanks to all of you for
making our 1975 49ers Gold Rush Days Open House a great success, and
congratulations to the following prize winners." A winner included Bonnie
Hardison, who won 3 sheets of walnut paneling, which led to purchasing dark
paneling to remodel the living and dining room areas of their home. To this
day, that paneling still hangs on the house walls.
Bonnie was deeply committed to her community, going above and beyond
for her family. She served as one of the original Mason County Fire District
13 firefighters, dedicating many years before retiring from her volunteer
position. In addition to being an emergency medical technician (EMT), she
also took on the role of treasurer for the fire district, showcasing her selfless
dedication. Furthermore, Bonnie held the position of Fire District 13
commissioner, leaving a lasting impact on the community. Her great-
grandchildren are 4th generation volunteer firefighters for District 13, and
her son-in-law is fire commissioner.
After her daughters grew older, she worked in Elma for EBASCO, a sub-
contractor for the Washington Public Power Supply System's (WPPSS) from
1972 to 1978. Her daughter Debbie also worked with her. Following the
closure of WPPSS, Bonnie served as an office manager at Ben Franklin Crafts
and Frame Shop in Shelton, working alongside family through marriage, Pat
Sykora and Mary Walker. Subsequently, she worked at Olympic Tool in
Shelton, where she affectionately referred to all the workers, notably the
Lund Brothers, as her "boys" or "kids." She also worked alongside training
her granddaughter, Melissa, and took part in company baseball games as
their scorekeeper and camping trips along the Naselle River.
Bonnie cherished her career, but her home and family were the most
significant source of pride and joy. As a homemaker, she lovingly raised her
two daughters, Dawn and Debbie, and often extended her care to younger
siblings, nieces, nephews, and grandsons. Her brother Harvey had purchased
adjacent acreage where the niece and nephews, Crystal, Kenyon, and Mark
Hedman, were more like her extended children. The Cloquallum Road
homestead, purchased from her mother in the early 1960s, was a place of
love and laughter where the family was welcomed with open arms. To this
day, the annual Craig Family Reunion is held there in July, and conversations
look to passing the torch to the 5th and 6th generations and experiencing
the beauty of watching the emergent 7th generation.
Bonnie Jean was known for her love of dogs and enjoyed having one. Her
unduly fondness had been over the years since a toddler with Picklepuss,
Tuffy, Tubs, Sasha, Bourbon, Sadie Sue, Cherie, Itsy-Bitsy-Mitsi, Circle, and
the infamous by many, Tinkerbell, pictured with Bonnie on her Gotcha Day,
October 16, 2020.
1999 - Present In December 1999, Bonnie met the "mysterious heroic
man" and married Bill Russell of Shelton. Both were passionate about
gardening and gained a reputation for growing enormous onions. The photo
of her holding up the giant onions was featured on the front page of the
Dixondale Farms 2018 catalog. They donated many onions to their favorite
spot, Character's Corner.
Bonnie and Bill were members of the Shelton Yacht Club. They enjoyed
traveling on their yacht and often fished for salmon, halibut, shrimp, and
crab in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Hood Canal, and Puget Sound areas.
Bonnie’s home and property were her pride and joy. Everything had its
place, and nobody would be surprised to see the interior rearranged,
especially after Bill died. Bonnie decorated the by adding. Her favorite color
purple.
Survivors include her two daughters: Dawn Elizabeth (Hardison) Stevens, her
husband Rick, and Debra Jean (Hardison) Hoxit; four grandchildren: Rick
Stevens, Jr. and his wife Kady (Rollins), Melissa (Stevens) Puhn and her
husband Joe, Chris Hoxit and his wife Chelsi (Claussen), and Jason Hoxit and
his wife Elizabeth (Monger); six great-grandchildren: Grace (Stevens) Joyce
and her husband Jake, Zane Stevens, Clare Hoxit, Braylon Hoxit, Levi Hoxit,
and Aubrey Hoxit; Brother Harvey Hedman; half-sisters Alisa (Hedman)
Barnes and Lori Hedman; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Additionally, her first husband, Donald Hardison, and brother-in-law and
friend, Dwight (Jerry) Hardison, and others graciously considered as family:
Gary Roberts and special friend, Glen Latham, who adorned her home with
fresh flowers and balloons.
Bonnie was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Russell; mother, Beulah
(Craig) Elliott; father, Roy Hedman; sister, Hazel (Hedman) Duncan; and her
brother, Kevin Hedman. Additionally, Bonnie had several special stepfathers,
including Tommy Thompson, Clarence Sather, and John Elliott, and
stepmother Lavonne (Young) Hedman.
IN MEMORIA In Bonnie's final days, one could sit outdoors on the deck and
listen to Eagles' songs. One adult and two younger eagles were a common
sight flying high above, and circling to take our wishes, visions, and dreams
to the Ancestors. We know our mom, grandma, great-grandma, aunt, sister,
and friend will be with us forever until our paths meet again.
Please join the family for a Celebration of Life to honor Bonnie Jean on
August 11, 2024, at her Shelton home. Family and friends are invited to
share stories and memories, and space will be provided to write down
legacies, leaving individuals with lasting memories.
McCombs & Wagner Family Funeral Home in Shelton, WA, handles
arrangements.
“I Love You Mom”
“I Love You More”
“I Love You the Most’est”
“I Love You Forever”
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Bonnie Russell, please visit Tribute Store
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A Memorial Tree was planted for Bonnie
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at McComb & Wagner Family Funeral Home and Crematory
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In Loving Memory
Bonnie Russell
1940 - 2024
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