Estella Salas “Bustillos” Russell
Estella accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at the age of 14 and became a Sunday school teacher shortly thereafter. All of her life Estella has been teaching people; at church Sunday school (both youth and adults), the church youth choir, the youth fellowship group, adult Bible study classes and in the public school system. She spent many years in the Jail Ministry visiting the county’s jails both in Ventura and Camarillo. Although confined to a wheel chair for the last 15 years Estella continued to offer Christian fellowship to Navy servicemen on her weekly visits to the Naval Base.
Estella was a accomplished singer and at one time was offered a contract to sing at a vacation hotel on the beach in Santa Barbara. She sang at her High school dances and also sang on the radio at her father’s owned radio station. Estella taught herself how to play the piano, the organ and the guitar and played and sang at her church very often. Estella also volunteered as a court interpreter for Judge Beach in Santa Paula.
Until her stroke in 1999, Estella was very active person. On two separate occasions she led a youth group on a mission trip into Mexico. In her 89 years Estella has touched so many lives.
Estella Salas “Bustillos” Russell died suddenly Friday morning, March 13, due to a failure of her heart; she was 89 years old. Estella was born on a ranch in Santa Paula, September 27, 1925. She was the fourth Salas child of a family of eleven. She is preceded in death by her husband Arnold Bustillos, father Juan and mother Concepcion, brothers; Tino Martinez, John, David and Victor, and two sisters; Naomi Pineda and Toni Kennedy. Estella is survived by her son Alfred (Susan) Bustillos and daughter Peggy Swank, and as she always said her new old husband, Richard Russell. Of the original Salas clan, there are Sam (Anita), Robert (Josie), Alice Guevara (Henry) and Lydia Taylor and Tita Vargas. Estella’s grandchildren are Camille (Cory), Allyssa (Felix “Joe”), Alex and Kristen, also five great grandchildren; Coleton, Cailen, Chasen, Isaiah and Caleb.
Visitation will be held on Friday March 20, 2015 from 9-11am at El Buen Pastor United Methodist Church located at 1029 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula. A memorial service will immediately follow. Interment will be on March 26, 2015 at 10:00am at the Santa Paula Cemetery.
