Estella Boxberger, 86, of Russell, Kansas, died on Tuesday, January 28, 2014, at her home in Russell.

Estella was born on February 13, 1927, on the family farm south of Russell.  She was the daughter of Ferdinand and Mollie (Mai) Deines.  She was baptized and later confirmed at the Trinity Lutheran Church.  She attended West Kennebec school through to the 7th grade before moving to Russell.  She graduated from Russell High School in the class of 1944.  Estella had various part-time jobs during her youth but after high school she went to worked for Gregwire Drug Store as a Pharmacist Assistant for many years.  She met, fell in love and was united in marriage to Wilmer Boxberger on October 26, 1947, and moved to the Boxberger Farm.  From this union they were blessed with two children a daughter Cynthia and a son John.  In 1941 she became a member of St. John Lutheran church and enjoyed teaching Sunday school and singing with the church choir for many years.  She enjoyed traveling and camping with family and friends and especially camper trips with her only grandchild Craig Boxberger.  She traveled to Europe, Hawaii, New York and Washington D.C.  She also had a lifetime interest in photography and loved making photo albums for the family and her grandson.  She also enjoyed sewing her own clothes, dancing and playing cards.

Surviving family include her husband Wilmer of Russell; daughter Cynthia Appel; son John Boxberger and wife Mary; grandson Craig Boxberger and wife Kristal; great grandsons Tanner and Bryce; sisters Edna Mai of Russell and Rosetta King and Husband Ronnie of Tulsa.

She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Palmer Deines and sister Delma Dumler.

A celebration of Estella’s life will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, February 01, 2014, at St. John Lutheran Church in Russell, with Pastor Roger Dennis officiating.  Burial will follow at the St. John Lutheran Cemetery in Russell.  Visitation will be from 9 A.M. to 8 P.M. on Friday, January 31, 2014, at the mortuary with family present to greet guests from 6 P.M. to 7 P.M. Friday evening.  Memorials may be given to the Deines Cultural Center or the Dream Theatre and may be sent in care of the mortuary. Pohlman-Varner-Peeler Mortuary of Russell is in charge of the funeral service arrangements.