Patricia Ann Culp Rust

1928 - 2017

Patricia Ann Culp RUST

Patricia Ann Culp Rust born January 15, 1928 passed away peacefully November 23, 2017, Thanksgiving morn'. She was born in Latham, Illinois. Her only sibling, her sister Peg Culp Krueger, was born a few years later. Her father, Ed, was the town banker; her mother Alice, the town nurse. As a teenager, "Patty" enjoyed "escaping" by going to the nearby "bustling" town of Mt. Pulaski to hang out with friends, drink sodas, dance, and meet boys.

Pat attended MacMurray College. She later transferred to the University of Illinois, where she graduated as valedictorian: one smart cookie. She met her future husband, Walter Rust, one summer at Nippersink Resort, in Wisconsin, where she was a waitress. Walter was a lifeguard. Family legend has it that he knowingly rented her a leaky rowboat, and then had to swim out to save her. Walt and Pat married on September 30, 1950.

They left Illinois in 1953 and headed to Washington state, in what Pat called their "blue Chevrolet covered wagon", camping along the way. They settled in West Seattle, where Kevin was born in 1955. They moved to Bellevue & were blessed with the births of Laurel & Warren, in 1956 & 1957. In 1961, they were relocated to Rossmoor, CA. In 1966, they were relocated back to Bellevue. When Walt died in 2010, Pat chose to move into Evergreen Court, just a few blocks from the family home, where she made many new dear friends.

Pat was a "stay at home mom" who taught piano lessons for 50 cents/session, made a kazillion gourmet school lunches for her kids and work lunches for her husband, and cooked amazing meals for family. She volunteered almost rabidly. Helping others, in "large" and "small" ways, was where she put her heart and considerable brainpower. Among her many volunteer capacities: PTA, Girl Scouts, manning the voting booths, leafletting for the Republican Party, weekly volunteering at the First Avenue Service Center serving the homeless on Skid Row in Seattle, visiting church members in nursing homes and hospitals, taking church members to church who could no longer drive.

When Pat moved into Evergreen Court, she kept up her MO: initially being part of the welcoming committee for new residents, later becoming president of the Residents Council. She was never one to "sit back". The hardest things for her to deal with, in her last few years, was the shock of macular degeneration, which took most of her vision, and her impaired mobility. She'd often say "well, it's a new chapter in my life" and forge on. All her life, if she actually took time to sit, she would knit. She generated amazing to-do lists. Her children called her "mother organizer", and for good reason.

Pat's demise was fairly sudden. She was put in hospice care at Evergreen Court in her last few weeks. She was pain free, mainly sleeping, and conscious. Pat is preceded in death by her husband Walt, beloved sister Peg and innumerable friends. She is survived by her children: Kevin (Carole); Laurel; Warren. She leaves behind grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, as well as nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend heart felt gratitude to the caring staff at Evergreen Court and to Kline Galland Hospice during her last weeks; to all her dear friends at Evergreen Court who sustained her in her last years; to Pastor Todd Goldschmidt of Living Hope Lutheran Church in Redmond, WA, who provided Sunday worship services at Evergreen Court. His weekly services, and pastoral care, meant a great deal to her and to her fellow residents.

Donations may be made in Pat's memory to Living Hope Lutheran Church, Redmond, WA, Grace Lutheran Church, Bellevue, WA or the charity of your choice.

Viewing/visitation: Mon., Dec. 11, 12:00-4:00pm, Butterworth Funeral Home, 520 West Raye St., Seattle.

Funeral service: Tues., Dec. 12, 11:00am-12:00, Grace Lutheran Church, 9625 NE 8th St. Bellevue, followed by a reception, 12:00-2:00pm at the church.

Interment: Tues. Dec. 12, 2:30pm, Sunset Hills Memorial Park, 1215 145th Pl. SE, Bellevue.