Doyle 'Sonny' Eugene Russell, 64

Doyle “Sonny” Eugene Russell passed away Wednesday, July 6, 2016, at his home in Woods Bay.

He was born Jan. 12, 1952, in Newport, Washington. He graduated from high school at Yellowstone Boys Ranch in Billings. His favorite pastime was caring for the animals but especially the pigs.

On March 11, 1978, he married Martha (Terry) and that union had a daughter Mary Margaret. He later married Sheila Rae and had a daughter, Christina Rose. He also has a son Stephan by a partner years earlier.

After returning from Yellowstone, Sonny enlisted in the Army and was stationed in Vietnam in 1969. He re-enlisted afterwards, in the Navy and was stationed in Adak, Alaska, until 1973. He later had complications from the herbicide “Agent Orange,” which he derived from his tour in Vietnam and also resulted in COPD in his later years. Sonny received miscellaneous awards from his tour in Vietnam, of which he was extremely proud but rarely spoke about!

Sonny worked the oil fields in Wyoming and then returned to his hometown of Somers and Kalispell to work at Plum Creek in Columbia Falls.

Sonny loved to hunt and fish with his brother Gary and they picked huckleberries and morel mushrooms when the season permitted. They camped out practically daily and until the season was done, always coming back in looking a bit more suntanned than when they left. Sonny later went to live with his father and together panned for gold in the Grange-ville, Idaho, area until his father died from natural causes.

Sonny was preceded in death by two sisters, Deana Rae and Victoria Faith, his father Kenneth Doyle and his mom Norma Jean, and ex-wife Martha.

He is survived by his sons, Adam and Stephen Bartle, and daughter Mary Wall, with grandchildren, Aspen, Madisen, Elijah, Noah, Isaiah, and daughter Christina Jorgenson with granddaughter Destiny. He is also survived by a brother Gary Russell, and a sister Mary’l Luntsford, whom he referred as May-Gay in his earlier years, both from Kalispell. Sonny also leaves behind numerous nieces and nephews, Kimberly, Krystal, with grandniece Samantha, MacKenzye, grandnephews Jaydon, Tanner, Tyler, Dustin, Desiree with grandnephew Zachary and grandniece Tasia, Shiree with grandniece Mariah, and grandnephews Lloyd and Eddie.

He also leaves behind his beloved pet and dog “Kid-go.”

Sonny was known for his “collection” of things that he could make a “deal” on and was hesitant to let go; just in case someone needed something he could lend or provide to them!

Sonny will be afforded a much-deserved military procession at a later time, to be determined by family members.