Walter Willian Rust

Walter William RUST "I had fun, a good life, and I had a lot of friends." Walter William Rust, 84, of Bellevue, WA, died September 1st at home. Walt was born February 25, 1926 in Sioux Falls, SD to Walter A. and Mildred Burns Rust. At age 2, the family moved to Elgin, IL. While growing up in Elgin, he won several city ice skating races, including two Chicago Tribune Silver Skates titles. He set national records in the 1/2 and 3/4 mile as a juvenile and junior en route to several state, national and North American race titles. Summers were spent as a lifeguard and as a counselor at a boys ranch in Colorado. He participated in the an nual Elgin Song of Hiawatha Pa geant as Pau-Puk-Keewis. In 1944 he graduated from Elgin High School. He was inducted into the Elgin Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. Walt served in the U.S. Navy as a ra dioman aboard the escort aircraft carrier USS Puget Sound (CVE-113) from 1944 to 1946 in the South Pacific. He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1950, a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. On September 30, 1950 he married Patricia Culp in Latham, IL. They headed west, to Seattle, in 1953. Shortly thereafter they moved to Bellevue. In 1955, he bought his first, and only, new car. In 1961 Walter's job with Weyerhaeuser took the fam ily to their home in Los Alamitos, CA where they lived until 1966. Then it was back to Bellevue where he re tired from Weyerhaeuser in 1980. Spotting an opportunity, he started his own business, Pasayten Incorpo rated, in March of 1980. In 2008 he re turned to retired life. Walt was an active outdoorsman, athlete, photographer, sailor, wood carver and Little League umpire. He competed in cycling and placed in state, national, and world events into his 70's. He was active in the Boy Scouts for more than 20 years. He served as Scout Master and Assist ant Scout Master with Troop 600 of Bellevue and was awarded the Silver Beaver. He had 2 Model A Fords and was a member of the Evergreen A's of Bellevue where he formed some great friendships. He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Belle vue. Walt will be greatly missed by many, but especially by his wife Pat of 59 years; sons Kevin (Carole) and Warren; daughter Laurel; and the grandchildren Blake, Emily, and Holly Rust, Will Fisher, and Wendy, Tyson, and Lyssa Rust. Walt has two siblings: Peggy Brisbois of Bonita, CA and brother John A. Rust of Sa vannah, GA. Remembrances may be made to Boy Scouts of America, Chief Seattle Council, P.O. Box 440408, Seattle, WA 98114 or Friends of Youth, Family Resource Center Campus, 16225 NE 87th Street, Suite A-6, Redmond, WA 98052-3536. The funeral service will be held for Walt at Grace Lutheran Church, 9625 NE 8th Street, Bellevue, WA 98004 (425-454-4344) Tuesday, September 7th at 4:30 pm. A private graveside service will be held at Sunset Hills Memorial Park, (425-746-1400) earli er on Tuesday. Funeral arrange ments have been made through Bleitz Funeral (206-282-5220).