John Edward Rust

John Jacksonville, Florida Edward Rust John Edward Rust 1953 - 2024

John Edward Rust died of prostate cancer Monday, November 4 at the home of his brother Tom in Jacksonville, Fla. He was 71 years old.

Born August 27, 1953, in Columbus, Ind., Johnny was the fourth of six children born to Philip C. Rust Jr., and Joan Ellen McAdams. He attended St. Bartholomew Catholic School through the eighth grade and graduated from Columbus High School in 1971. He briefly studied architecture at the University of Cincinnati but decided he preferred working with his hands on the internal systems of buildings and began a lifelong profession of HVAC installation and maintenance.

Johnny enjoyed country music, the Atlantic Ocean, rollerblading, softball, ice hockey, golf and NASCAR. He loved vehicles of all sorts and owned numerous cars, trucks and motorcycles throughout his life. He learned to play golf with his brothers at Harrison Lake Country Club and was a member of the golf team in high school.

Johnny was the "quietest" member of the Rust family, a "man of few words." One Christmas, he said all he wanted was a pair of motocross boots. He arrived at the family home with gifts for everyone. When he opened his gift - the desired motocross boots - he chuckled wryly as he revealed that he had lost his job a few weeks earlier and had sold his motorcycle in order to buy gifts for everyone else.

Early in his career, in Columbus, Johnny worked for Dillman Heating & Air Conditioning, for the McDonald's franchises owned by local resident Richard McGee and for Thomas & Smith Inc. He later moved to Indianapolis, where he was a member of Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 440. He worked for Carrier Corporation and other commercial HVAC companies. Upon his retirement in 2019, he moved to Jacksonville, where he lived with his brother Tom and sister-in-law Debra. In retirement, he enjoyed working for Advance Auto Parts store on Beach Blvd. in Jacksonville for more than four years.

Johnny was preceded in death by an infant sister Susan, his parents, his youngest brother Pat and his nephew Lt. Cmdr. John McAdams Baker. He is survived by his brothers, Philip C. Rust III (Shirley), of Indianapolis; Thomas Enright Rust (Debra) of Jacksonville; sister Barbara Rust Brown (Jack) of Williamsburg, Va.; nieces and nephews Christi Rust Crimmins, Michelle Rust Chastain, Brian Rust, Matt Rust, Jackson Rust, Nickolas Rust, Ashley Rust Chamberlain and Joan Baker; 18 grand nieces and nephews, one great-grand niece; two newly discovered first cousins and countless friends, classmates and colleagues. Memorials may be sent to the Bulldog Alumni Association, John Carmichael "True Blue Endowment," 1400 25th Street, Columbus, Indiana 47201.

Per John's wishes, there will be no service.