John Russell "Rusty" Crain

John Russell Crain
August 20, 1936 - January 21, 2026


John Russell "Rusty" Crain passed away peacefully on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at the age of 89 after a very brief illness. Rusty enjoyed good health and a very active lifestyle up until a month before his passing.

Rusty was born August 20, 1936 in Long Beach, California to parents Chester Crain (1914-1984) and Thelma Alles Crain (1912-2006). He had one younger sister, Connie Elaine. The family resided in Lakewood and Compton, California where Rusty completed fourteen years of schooling beginning in 1941 at A.A. Mayo Grammar School, F.D. Roosevelt Jr. High School, Compton High School, and Compton Jr. College, graduating in June 1956 with an A.A. degree. In June of 1956, Rusty enrolled at University of Nevada, Reno to pursue a degree in Geology. While there, he was a member of Sigma Nu fraternity. Upon graduation in 1958, he enrolled at Long Beach State where he completed his California teaching credential. He then returned to the University of Nevada to obtain a Master's degree in Geology and Math.

In 1962 Rusty met Barbara Timlake, and they were married on August 11th of that same year. Rusty began his career in education at Redwood High School, teaching physics and mathematics. Rusty and Barbara moved into the beautiful home he had built with his father on the South Fork of the Kaweah River in Three Rivers, California in November of 1964. The move was less than one week before the birth of Holly, their first daughter. They welcomed a second daughter, Leeanne, eighteen months later. In 1970, Rusty was hired to teach geology, chemistry and mathematics at the College of the Sequoias, in Visalia and continued until his retirement in 1997.

Rusty was an active member of the community. He was appointed to the Tulare County Resource Conservation District Board in 1962 where he served for 28 years. He was a volunteer firefighter and member of the Three Rivers Volunteer Ambulance Service, serving as an ambulance attendant for 28 years and board member for 49 years. He was a member of the Community Presbyterian Church which was founded by his great grandmother, Christina Alles, and served six years as a trustee and fifteen years as an Elder. He served for many years as the manager for the High Sierra Jazz Band, and president of the Sierra Traditional Jazz Club. He was a board member of the Three Rivers Historical Society and for over 60 years, an active member of the Three Rivers Lions Club, including serving as club president for two terms. He organized blood donation drives with the Central California Blood Bank for several decades and participated by donating many gallons of blood over the years. He also served on the Three Rivers Union School Board for eight years, Woodlake Union High School Board for four years, and was a board of trustee for the Valley Oak Credit Union and Three Rivers Cemetery District. In his free time, he enjoyed snow skiing, backpacking, woodworking, stamp collecting, and exploring nature. Additionally, he was a founding member of the Men's Poison Oak summer softball league and played most all of its nearly 40 year existence.

His first marriage of thirty years ended in 1992. In 1994, he was reacquainted at a class reunion with his former schoolmate, Patricia Parker Walling. Rusty and Pat were married in September of 1995. They enjoyed a wonderful life together, traveling the world and searching for rare antiques, a passion they both shared. Their travels included trips to Scotland, Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Scandinavia, France, Switzerland, Patagonia, Falkland Islands, Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Portugal, Costa Rica, Peru, Galapagos Islands, Alaska, and Mexico. They also traveled to every one of the 50 states in the U.S.

Rusty was a pillar of strength in the Three Rivers community, always among the first to volunteer for service. He was intelligent, kind, and thoughtful, and had a wonderful sense of humor. He will truly be missed.

Rusty was preceded in death by his wife Patricia (1936-2024) and sister Connie Crain Tong (1939-2021). He is survived by his daughters Holly Peltzer (Jonathan) and Leeanne Crain (Beth Watson), stepchildren Lore Schaefer (Tony), David Walling (Linda), Tim Walling, and Kim Oines (Ron), step-grandchildren Ryan Schaefer, Eric Schaefer, Nick Walling, Lauren Walling, Paul Oines, Kay Oines and two step-great grandchildren.

A "Celebration of Life" will be held on Friday, February 13, 2026 at 11:00am at St. Anthony Retreat Center in Three Rivers, California. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the following: Three Rivers Historical Society, Three Rivers Lions Club, Community Presbyterian Church, and High Sierra Traditional Jazz Club.