Leon Franklin Rust, Jr.'s Obituary
On Christmas Day, Leon F. Rust, Jr., of Greenwood, DE, peacefully transitioned from this earthly life to eternal life and celebrated with his wife, Betty. Leon was born October 8, 1939, in Farmington, DE to the late Leon F. & Esther L. (Everett) Rust. He began grade school in Farmington, later graduating from Greenwood High School in 1957. In High School, he met his future wife, Betty M. McDowell. They wed on June 6, 1958, and were married for 51 years.
He served for 12 years in the Delaware National Guard. Leon worked at Dover Air Force Base as a civilian employee. In 1963, he began working on D shift at Dupont in Seaford, DE. where he retired on December 31, 1997, after 34 years of employment. He taught his children about serving their community through his devotion for 59 years as a life member of the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Company, where he had served two terms as President. He was also Rescue Captain and when he could no longer respond to fire alarms as a firefighter, he served as the Company Photographer. He was also very active with the Greenwood Chicken BBQ. Leon served on the Greenwood Town Council from January 1985-December 1992, where he held the position of Police Commissioner. Many years later, he was a member of the Planning & Zoning Commission. Leon was a past President of the Greenwood Kiwanis Club and spent time working at their chicken bbq as well, and for a number of years he was a member of the Cart Branch Tax Ditch Committee.
Leon was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Betty; a son & daughter-in-law, Leon F. Rust, III and Major Joanne Devine-Rust (US Army); daughter-in-law, Jill Rust; and two brothers Jefferson Rust, Sr. and Richard Rust, Sr. He is survived by a son, Edward Dale Rust of Midlothian, VA; a daughter, Rev. Maleia Ann Rust of Greenwood, DE; grandson, Jeremy Rust of Midlothian, VA; granddaughter, Mandy Smith (Eddy) of Chesterfield, VA; two brothers, David Rust of Harrington, DE and Randall Rust of Felton, DE; and three sisters, Sharon Dawson of Milford, DE; Cindy Bolin (John) of Farmington, DE; and Patricia Mast (Gordy) of Harrington, DE; as well as several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Leon enjoyed hunting, having been able to fulfill a wish to hunt wild boar; model trains; reading and watching westerns; and traveling. He and Betty made two cross country trips in his Ford F-150, visiting all 48 continental states and for their 50th Wedding Anniversary, travelled to Alaska for a cruise and then flew to Hawaii for a cruise.
Funeral Services with Firefighters Honors will be held on Thursday January 2, 2025 at 2 PM at the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Company, 12611 Fire Hall Avenue, Greenwood, DE where a viewing will begin at Noon. Burial will follow at St. Johnstown Cemetery, Greenwood.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Greenwood Volunteer Fire Company.
Please sign the tribute page at this site.
Florist Note. Please deliver all floral tributes to our Bridgeville Funeral Home by 4 PM January 1, 2025
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