Clifford W. Rust

Clifford W. Rust Jr. The Reverend Clifford William Rust Jr. passed away Feb. 25, 2006, following a long illness at the age of 75 in his home in Shelton, Wash., in the loving care of his family. Cliff was born to Constance (Reade) and Clifford Rust in Newton, Mass., Nov. 19, 1930. He was their only child. He completed college at William Jewell in Missouri and earned his master’s in divinity at McCormick Seminary in Chicago. His first congregation was in Sullivan, Ill., and he went on to serve as pastor for the First Presbyterian Church of Charleston, Ill., for nearly 20 years. His other ministries included the First Presbyterian Church of Morton, Ill., and several other churches throughout northwestern Illinois. Cliff also worked for many years as a therapist for Catholic Social Services in Peoria, Ill., from which he retired in 1997. He is preceded in death by his stepdaughter Lisa Reiman of Morton, Ill. Cliff is survived by his daughter Nancy Ness and her husband, James Ness, of Shelton, Wash.; daughter Jenny Rust of Jacksonville, Fla.; son William Rust and his wife, Lynda Rust, of St. Louis, Mo.; daughter Kate (Carol) Rust and husband, Louis Watson, of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and stepdaughter Rhonda Howard and her husband, Stacey Howard, of Morton, Ill. He had 15 grandchildren by his son, daughters and stepdaughters and one great-grandchild. His loves and hobbies were his dog, Dippy, sports fishing, the “Fighting Illini” collegiate basketball team, the National Football League Bears, and all forms of music, especially classical. Cliff also held a long association with Friendship House of Peoria, Ill. Memorial donations may by made there in his name by contacting The Peoria Friendship House at (309) 671-5200 or www.peoriafriendshiphouse.org, or to a charity of your choice. At his request, there will be no funeral services; however, a memorial service will be held in Morton, Ill., at a future date. In his ministry and privately, Cliff lived his life in service to others and left this world a better place than he found it.