Obituary of W.E. Rust

W. E. Rust W. E. Rust passed away quietly, with family in attendance, on December 23, 2006. Ed was born on October 17, 1923, in Shreveport, Louisiana, to William and Jessie Rust. Because the attending physician initially thought he was stillborn, Ed’s birth certificate merely gave his father’s initials. He left home at age 14 and supported himself while continuing to go to high school. Ed (known as “Rusty” at that time) joined the Army on April 27, 1942 and then transferred to what was then the Army Air Corps. Promotions came quickly and he soon began Cadet training at the University of Arkansas. There he met Sarah (“Cissy”) Braswell at a dance and they were married on December 14, 1944. Ed and Cissy were married for 53 years, until her death in 1998. During his military career he served as a field maintenance officer and an aircraft accident investigator throughout the United States as well as Japan, Italy and Okinawa. Ed also served as the flight engineer for General Douglas MacArthur. Meanwhile, Ed (a nickname they decided was more suitable than “Rusty”) and Cissy began raising four children. Ed retired from the Air Force on November 30, 1965, and worked for a brief time as a quality assurance engineer at the Newport News, Virginia shipyard. He then took a job in marketing for Bell & Howell, and moved the family to Glendora, California. At work he facilitated the production of motion-vibration transducers, and at home he and Cissy became very involved in Grace Episcopal Church. When he retired from Bell & Howell, Ed and Cissy moved to Redwood Valley, California, and boarded horses as a hobby. They also enjoyed living near their younger daughter Laura and her family. In October 1993, Ed and Cissy moved to Graham, Washington. They enjoyed a good life for several years, but Cissy was diagnosed with cancer in September of 1997. Ed saw his wife through the ordeal. Afterward, Ed enjoyed doing things with his children and their families. However, his health gradually began to decline. In mid-December, while he was living at a care facility in Lacey, Washington, Ed’s diabetes suddenly became much worse. He slipped into a coma and then passed away peacefully at 4:30 PM. Ed has rejoined Cissy. They are survived by their children John, Leslie, Laura and Dave, as well as by nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.