Hywanah Russell

Hywanah McFarland Russell, 91, passed away at 8:55 pm, on Thursday, November 9, 2017, at the Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis, NM. She had suffered a heart attack earlier in the day. Hwyanah was living with her husband Ben Russell, in the Memory Care Unit at Wheatfields Senior Living Community, for the past 16 months.
Hywanah was born to Fred and Marie McFarland on January 12, 1926, in Clovis. She was president of the Clovis High School Debate Team her senior year, graduating in 1943. Hywanah graduated from Hardin-Simmons University at Abiline, TX in 1947, with a degree in education. She was a Cowgirl with the Hardin-Simmons University Marching Band. On July 3, 1948, Hywanah married Ben Louis Russell at the First Presbyterian Church in Portales, NM. During this time, she was also able to earn a Master's in Education at Eastern New Mexico University in 1955. She went on to teach at Eugene Field Elementary School for one year, then for 29 years, she taught the fifth grade at James Bickley Elementary School, until she retired.
She was an avid reader of novels and Christian romance novels. Hywanah enjoyed traveling with Ben to all the European nations, with the exception of Finland and Poland. In the Western Hemisphere, Hywanah traveled to Nova Scotia, Ontario, Panama, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Ecuador. Her Asian travels took her and Ben to Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Hong Kong, Australia, and New Zealand. Lastly, she spent eight days in Morocco.
Hywanah also found the time to teach a Woman's Senior Sunday School class, for 60 years, at Central Baptist Church. She read about Jesus Christ, six days a week at 8:30 am, in devotional books.
Hywanah Russell is survived by her husband B.L. Russell of Clovis; one son, Michael Rand Russell of Clovis; three first cousins, Lee Ann Leslie, Don Leslie, and Jack Leslie of Clovis; and a sister-in-law, Elayne Logan of Pomona, CA.
Services for Hywanah are to be held on Wednesday, November 15, at 2:00 pm, in the Steed Todd Funeral Home Chapel, with Damon Pearce, officiating. Burial will follow immediately after at Lawn Haven Cemetery.

Visitation

Steed-Todd Funeral Home
800 E Manana
Clovis, NM  88101
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
9:00 am - 8:00 pm

Service

Funeral Service

Steed Todd Chapel
800 E. Manana Blvd
Clovis, NM  88101
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
2:00 pm

Cemetery

Lawn Haven
1601 E. Llano Estacado Blvd
Clovis, NM  88101