Meet your 2013 Russell Alumni Committee volunteers:
Donise (Atwell) Altenhofen - Chairman:
I am very proud to have attended Russell Community School from kindergarten through
my senior year, graduating in the class of 1988.
What a wonderful place to call home. I am married to Chad Altenhofen, we live 4 miles east of Chariton. I have been employed with Elliott Oil Company for the past 18 years, where I am a store manager. My husband and I farm. We have a cow/calf operation, a feedlot where we background cattle, and also raise corn, soybeans and hay. This is a very honorable yet time consuming job. We have three children, Amber, 21, a 2005 Chariton graduate who lives in Knoxville. Ashlee, 19, a 2007 Chariton graduate who lives in Chariton. Chase, 11, is the only one left at home and is in the 5th grade at Van Allen School in Chariton. I keep very busy with volunteering on the Lucas County Fairboard, Lucas County Cattlemen's Board of Directors and am currently the president of Alpha Theta Sorority, a chapter of Beta Sigma Phi. Family and friends are very important to me, those from the past and new faces I meet daily with my job are a certain joy for myself.
Kelli (Miller) Spencer - Vice Chairman:
Hey! I'm Kelli (Miller) Spencer I moved here the summer before my 6th grade of school
at Russell. Then I graduated from RHS in 1995. After graduation I went to NorthWest
Missouri State. Boy those were a couple of fun years! However, the home ties couldn't
be cut and I came back to the farm which I love. Soon after I met and married Russ
Spencer from the Corydon/Allerton area. We will be married 10 years in Jan. WOW!
Together, we have 3 wonderful boys, Jade Michael....8 almost 9, Brock Ryan
Joseph....7 and Koda Rider who is 4 and will start preschool in Chariton this
fall. Jade and Brock already go to Chariton and love it. They are already very
active in sports...wrestling, baseball, and football. We will soon start showing cattle.
I can't wait! We live just east of my grandfather. My brother Joe and his two boys
now live in the house in which I grew up. Then, nana and papa (my folks), are down
the road so we are truly blessed to be so close. I love having my brother right
there and my nephews are great! My boys are lucky to get to grow up here on the
family farm with all of our family and friends in the Russell community. My husband
Russ works in Des Moines and drives back and forth every day! He works as a drill
foreman doing directional drilling with Drilling Direct. I stay at home and try to
wrangle these 3 boys of mine and help Joe when needed. I help out with the
farm as much as possible. Then, I also volunteer at school when needed
and help with coaching teams when needed. We certainly stay busy! I'm looking forward to
helping out with the 2013 Alumni Reunion. It should be lots of fun with the
group of gals that have agreed to help....see ya all there!
Felicia (Brown) Beaty - Treasurer:
I graduated with the Russell High School Class of 1998. I was the class president
our junior and senior years. I played volleyball and participated in many groups
and activities. On May 8th, 1999, I married Brian Beaty (1993). We live on a farm
east of Russell. We have three kids. Our identical twin girls Macey Lynn and Mikenzy
Cleo are seven and in 2nd grade in Chariton. They are in the Clover Sprouts and dance
class. Our son Blayne Michael is two and stays home with me. He thinks he runs the
place! I do daycare in our home. Brian farms and works with his dad at Beaty Insurance
in Russell. Brian is also the Captain of the Russell Fire Department. We keep
extremely busy with every day life, but I look forward to helping with the 2013
Alumni Reunion!
Nikki Slack - Secretary: I moved to Russell the summer of my 3rd grade year,
and have never left. I started my 4th grade year as a stranger and graduated in 2000
as family. I was proud to coach the Russell Volleyball team from 2003-2007. I
live on a farm north of the Russell Sale Barn with my fiancé, Jeremy Hermann (1993).
In 2005, we had a foreign exchange student, Conny Braun (2005) live with us for a
year. That was a great experience I will never forget! I currently work at Beaty's
Insurance Agency as a CSR, Agent, and Secretary and have for the past 5 years. I
have 2 sisters, Missie (2005) and Gena (2007) and a little brother, Dusty who is
in 6th grade and sadly won't be able to call himself a Russell graduate. My dad,
Gene Simmons, and his sisters, attended Russell School on and off growing up. I hope
to see you all there in 2013, and again for many years to follow.
