Russel W. Van Westen, 84, of Cherokee, Iowa passed away Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at his home in Cherokee.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, April 19th, at 2 p.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Cherokee, Iowa. Pastor Jon Riggert will officiate. Burial will be in the Immanuel Lutheran Cemetery at rural Aurelia, Iowa. There will be a family prayer service at 1:45 p.m. at the church on Tuesday. There will be military rites at the cemetery by L.A. Wescott Post #2253 of the V.F.W. Visitation will be on Monday from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. at the Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee with the family present from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com

Russel was born on August 4, 1926 to Klaus & Grace (Krull) Van Westen at Rock Rapids, Iowa. He grew up in the Rock Rapids area. He was united in marriage to Lola Kolpin on May 3, 1953 at Cherokee, Iowa. He worked for Lundell Manufacturing for many years. He was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church where he was the church custodian for many years. He was a veteran of the Korean Conflict. He had been a resident of Cherokee since 1953. He enjoyed playing cards, listening to music especially from the Big Band Era, fishing and flying kites with his nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wife Lola on April 2, 1997, brothers Hilbert in 1984 and Raymond in 2009 and sister Martha Doeden in 1997, brothers-in-law Kenneth Klaassen, George Doeden, John Abuhl, Sully Rogers, Stanley Jurrens, and Don Hippert.

He is survived by 1 brother and 4 sisters: Albertus Van Westen and his wife Ruth of Luverne, Minnesota; Hilda Klaassen of George, Iowa; Betty Abuhl of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Inez Rogers of Owatonna, Minnesota; Shirley Heikes and her husband Howard of Mantorville, Minnesota; 2 sisters-in-law: Pearl DeBooy of Rock Rapids, Iowa; Carol Van Westen of Sibley, Iowa; special friends Orville & Lila Saxby also many nieces and nephews.