Russell Lloyd Stiner, age 85 of Blanchardville, died on Wednesday morning, July 14, 2010 at the New Glarus Home in New Glarus, Wisconsin. He was born on April 8, 1925 on a farm in York Township, Green County, Wisconsin, to Oscar and Elizabeth (Paulson) Stiner. He was baptized in the Perry Lutheran Church by Bishop Lunda of Norway while he was here on a visit. He lived with his family near Argyle, and then in Moscow Township. He attended the Moscow rural school, and graduated from the Blanchardville High School in the class of 1943. Russell farmed with his parents, using horses for plowing and milking by hand in the early years. Russell loved the farm and the land, and practiced good land conservation and contour strip cropping. During the 57 years on the farm, he also worked off the farm at the ASCS office of Iowa County as a field crop adjuster, and was an Assessor I and II doing regular assessing for Moscow Township, the Village of Blanchardville, and also did re-valuation in other areas of Wisconsin for a time. In 1976 he discontinued milking and worked in various jobs. He was married to Jean Ula on September 11, 1982 at the York Memorial Lutheran Church. Russell was a member of the old York Lutheran Church, and then joined York Memorial Lutheran Church where he was an active member serving on the church council as well as teaching Sunday school. He became the bell ringer, and rang the bell for his own wedding. He loved sports, including his own baseball team for a time. He was a member of the Argyle Masonic Lodge. He loved and enjoyed all his grandchildren whom he adored.

Russell is survived by his wife, Jean Stiner of Blanchardville; two sons, Nathan (Joan) Ula and Nolan (Suzanne) Ula, both of rural Blanchardville; four grandchildren, Joel (Julie) Ula of Monroe, Melanie (Jake) Keltner of Juda, Josh (Tara) Ula of Blanchardville, and Nathan N. Ula of Monroe; five great-grandchildren, Hunter, Gavin, Zoey, Grant and Linden; several nieces and nephews; and two sisters-in-law, Julie (David) Harris of Argyle, and Kathleen Ayen of Janesville. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Lyle and Henry; two sisters, May at a young age and Opel Anderson; two sisters-in-law and four brothers-in-law.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 19, 2010 at the York Memorial Lutheran Church in rural Blanchardville at the intersection of highways 78 and 39. Rev. Mark Gruner of the Pecatonica Lutheran Parish will officiate. Burial will be in the York Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Sunday from 2 until 6 p.m. at the York Memorial Lutheran Church. The Saether Funeral Home in Blanchardville is assisting the family. Online memories and condolences can be shared with the family at www.saetherfuneralhome.com

The family wishes to thank the New Glarus Home nursing staff and therapy department for their loving care of Russell.