Russell Ponder Obituary
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He was born on February 13, 1958, in Jefferson City, the son of the late Wayland (Poodle) Lonso Ponder and Sharon S. (Higgins) Ponder. Russell attended Jefferson City High School and proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps.
He worked at Gerbes as a stocker and for the Missouri Department of Corrections as a Correctional Officer. Russell was also a member of C-Star. He enjoyed collecting baseball cards, arrowheads, and silver, as well as spending time metal detecting. He was a proud collector at heart and had a deep appreciation for history and treasured finds.
Russell was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Jefferson City.
He is survived by his daughters, Susan Ponder (Christopher Dean) and Hannah Ponder (Shannon Sanford); step-mother, Donna J. Ponder; his siblings, Ladonna Hale, Charla Bacon, Wayland Ponder, and Phillip Ponder; grandchildren, Kenneth V. Brown III, Kiara D. Brown, Kadence A. Brown, Payton L. Scheppers, and Jase D. Sanford; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family, and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Greg Orr.
Russell will be remembered as a kind, faithful, and devoted father, grandfather, brother, and friend.
Friends will be received from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at Houser-Millard Funeral Directors in Jefferson City, Missouri.
Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family to assist with funeral expenses or to the Goldschmidt Cancer Institute. You may visit millardfamilychapels.com and select "make a payment" in the upper right of the screen. Type in "Russell's" name and follow the prompts.
Arrangements are under the direction of HOUSER-MILLARD Funeral Directors, 2613 W. Main St.; Jefferson City, MO 65109. (573) 636-3838. Condolences may be left for the family online at www.millardfamilychapels.com
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