Uncle Rusty

I lost my great uncle Rusty last weekend; although, I didn’t find out until this weekend because my mom knew I was on vacation and didn’t want to upset me. He was the first born son of my German great grandparents. They spoke German to him until he went to kindergarten and returned home confused. He served time in the US Air Force and was an entrepreneur. He retired from his own business at 68. When I returned to Boise after graduate school in ’97, I would frequent his kitchen table where we would share a glass of wine with his lovely wife and then take in a BSU basketball game. He had season tickets. Those were the first sporting events I ever attended. I’m not sure what I enjoyed more – the deep conversation or the game. He was great company. He lived to be 93, which is a year older than my great grandmother, who died on election day 1992, a few weeks shy of her 93rd birthday. Rest in Peace, Rusty.