Stephanie Lane Russell

Stephanie was born in Smyrna, Georgia, to Sanya and Kenneth Howard on July 18th, 1969. When she was 5, she moved with her family to California and grew up in Lancaster and Los Angeles. She attended Antelope Valley High School and Chatsworth High School. She lived for brief periods in Arizona, Massachusetts, and North Carolina before settling in San Antonio around 1994. In 1995 she gave birth to her pride and joy, her son Clayton. She was a hard-working single mom devoted to her son, her friends, and her Savior Jesus Christ for many years while she prayed and faithfully waited for a partner and husband to share her life with. Her prayers were answered in 2018 when she married the love of her life, John Russell. Along with a husband she gained a large new family whom she instantly loved and who wholeheartedly loved her.

Stephanie had many close and loyal friends whom she loved dearly. And she loved her church family at First Assembly of God San Antonio. Many have commented that she was among the first to welcome and befriend them when they were new to the church. Her friends have described her as exceptionally genuine (she always showed you her true self), honest (sometimes painfully so), gregarious, fiercely loving, caring, loyal, passionate, loudly enthusiastic, bold, feisty, vivacious, spicy, a spitfire, full of fun, full of laughs, and full of life. Most of all she was known for her love and devotion to her God. She could be found on the front row of church every Sunday morning pouring her heart out in worship. One of her friends summed her up well by saying, “She loved her family big, her friends big, and Jesus the biggest of all.”

Stephanie was preceded in death by her father, Kenneth L. Howard. She is survived by her husband, John Russell; her children Clayton Howard, Arielle Russell and husband David Striegl, Rhiannon Russell, Shar Burt and husband Corey, Gaar Russell, Dylan Russell, Jonas Smith, and Avery Smith; grandchildren Kai, Kaden, and Piper; mother Sanya Howard; brothers Scott Howard and wife Lorraine, and Darryl Howard; stepbrothers Pete Strother and Brian Strother; and stepsister Wanda Walls.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing. -- 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV)

VISITATION

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2021

5:00 – 8:00 PM

PORTER LORING MORTUARY NORTH

2102 NORTH LOOP 1604 EAST

SERVICE

MONDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2021

10:30AM

FIRST ASSEMBLY OF GOD

13435 WEST AVENUE

INTERMENT

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2021

9:30 A.M.

FORT SAM HOUSTON NATIONAL CEMETERY