Graveside committal services for Bruce “Sonny” Russell, 80, of Portales will be conducted at 11:00 AM, Fri., Feb. 24, 2017 in the Portales Cemetery.
Bruce “Sonny” Russell was born Oct. 23, 1936, in Ada, OK to the home of Vina Jane (Morin) and Ezra Michael Russell and died Feb. 19, 2017 at Heartland Continuing Care Center in Portales. The family homesteaded west of Floyd, NM when he was young. In 1956 he entered the US Navy and served until 1960 aboard the USS Yorktown. In 1956, he was married to Burma Elliott. The couple later divorced after having a family of a son and two daughters.
Mr. Russell had a special way with horses. So, following his discharge, they moved to CA where he worked on ranches breaking race horses. At the age of 10, Bruce picked up a guitar, and learned to play it very well. Through the years he belonged to various bands, including Sonny and the Southernmost and the Coachmen. He had performed virtually nationwide, including several occasions in Las Vegas. He had become acquainted with such well knowns as Buddy Holley and Tex Ritter. On different occasions he was aked to take over bands for the Frizzell brothers’ bands when they were ill. He had recorded records at the Norman Petty Studios in Clovis, and always loved playing music. Whenever the family got together they always played and sang together.
He is survived by a son and daughter-in-law, Cary and June Russell of Lenorah, TX; four daughters and a son-in-law, Justine Houck, and Goldie Russell both of Portales, Carina and Jeremy McCullough of Lovington, NM and P. J. Nunley of Stone Peak, ID; seven grandchildren, Carsten (Sarah) Russell, Kiersten (Chris) Parker, Jordan Houck, Justin Lentz, Yancy (Sarah) Swift, Carissa (Joe) Dunn, Royce Montgomery and Levi and Hale McCullough; a step-grandchild, Amanda Martin; four great-grandchildren, Claire Parker, Maxximus MacArthur, and Arlo and Henry Dunn; a step-great-grandchild, Amy DeLay; a sister, Linda Stobb of Portales and a close friend, Tobie Bilberry of Ruidoso, NM. He was preceded in death by his parents, two step-sons, Ross Warren Orcutt and Clayton Orcutt and a step-daughter, Susan Orcutt, a brother, Lane Russell and three sisters, Mary Steines, Lee Bennett, and Bobby McLaughlin