Floyd Rathbun

On 23 AUG 25 Floyd Rathbun, age 79, ended his 3 month battle  with Pancreatic cancer and  rode off into heaven’s sunset, in his favorite chair, watching a John Wayne movie. He gave his life to Christ in 1989 and tirelessly shared the Gospel 36 years until he went home to Jesus.

He was born in Glendale CA and grew up on the family wheat ranch with 3 siblings in Wasco, OR.  He earned degrees in Wildlife Management and Range Management at Oregon State University where he met and married Carla Elfering.  In 1980 they moved to Fallon with their 1-year-old son, Aaron.   Shortly thereafter, Carla moved Aaron back to Oregon but Floyd continued his Fallon career with the Soil Conservation Service and Department of Defense, where he earned many awards. In 1983 he and wife Lynn joined Parkside Bible Fellowship and traveled often to Israel, helping build bomb shelters in upper Galilee.

He belonged to the NRA, Sons of the American Revolution, Elks, Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship, Stillwater Firearms, and Gideons. He organized Fallon’s National Day of Prayer  event for 29 years.

Floyd worked as Wildlife Biologist for DOD 1995 until 2001 when he launched his ranch consulting business, traveling across northern Nevada, combining his range and ranch work with the joy of serving Christ.   He studied Constitutional law, Nevada history and private property laws relating to ranching and worked on behalf of ranchers defending themselves and their ranches from government interference.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Lynn, sister Sue, brother Lee, son Aaron, and granddaughters Quinn and Taylor.  The kind and compassionate people of Oasis Community Church opened their arms and their hearts to welcome Floyd and Lynn with prayer support throughout his devastating illness.   Floyd’s Celebration of Life will be on Tuesday, 21 October, at 3pm at Oasis Community Church,1520 S. Maine St., Fallon. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests  donations to Oasis for their building fund.