Jonathan Russell

Jonathan Scott “Jonno” Russell, 18, of Bettendorf, Iowa, passed away quietly on Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa, following a car accident.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be held at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 21, 2015 at the Harvest Bible Chapel in Davenport, Iowa.  His family requests that no one wears black.  Contributions in Jonno’s memory may be made to the Iowa Donor Network.

Jonno was born January 29, 1997 at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, Washington, the son of Joel & Jan (Macdonald) Russell.  A member of the Bettendorf High School class of 2015, Jonathan was to attend the University of Iowa in the fall.

A military child, Jonno came into the world dramatically--with a lightening-quick labor and an ambulance ride. He learned his love of beaches in Hawaii.  He skied in the Alps, rode a bike through Berlin, climbed the Eiffel Tower and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. He swam in the Mediterranean in his clothes and a pool in Spain in the buff. He joyfully ran up and down the soccer field and later wanted to show off all his wrestling moves.  He lived his life with passion and spirit.

Those left to honor his memory include his parents, Joel & Jan of Bettendorf; his brother, Joshua, a student at the University of Iowa; his grandparents, Alex & Joan Macdonald of Fargo, North Dakota; his uncles, D. Charles Macdonald (Geri Fisher) of Plymouth, Minnesota and Jeff (Beth) Russell of Olympia, Washington; his cousins, Emma, Carly, Allie, David, Jennifer, Brittney and Maren; and his squad, classmates and team mates of Bettendorf High School.

Jonno was preceded in death by his grandparents, Leroy & Jean Russell; and his uncles, Jim Russell and David James Macdonald.