Richard Marvin Rusk

Early Saturday morning, November 2, 2019 the loving hand of God reached down and lifted Richard Marvin Rusk, 90 to his Heavenly home. He passed peacefully in his sleep with one of his granddaughters by his side, at Denver Hospice Inpatient Care Center from COPD and dementia.

Richard, also known by Rich or Dick, was born in Greenfield, Iowa to Albert and Edna Rusk, March 1929. He graduated from Greenfield High School in 1947. He met his wife Esther in Winterset, Iowa. They were married the following year in June 1948, in Winterset, Iowa.

They moved to Loveland, Colorado in 1950. He worked on the Big Thompson Canyon water project. Their first child, Teresa was born there in 1951. They moved to Aurora in the spring of 1952.

He worked several jobs before becoming a Police Officer for the City of Aurora in December 1952. He was a patrolman, traffic control officer, instructor and jailer. After 27 years of being an officer he retired in 1979. Rich was never one to just relax. He retired on a Friday and returned to work for the Aurora Police Department as a civilian employee as their property officer that following Monday. He worked for the next 11 years and retired the second time in 1990. He was a founding member of the Aurora Police Retired Officers Association.

His second child, Richard II was born in 1954 followed by the third child Debra in 1957. Rich moved his family to their 2nd and final Aurora home in 1962, where he and his wife lived until his death.

Rich was a “jack of all trades and a master of none” so he said many times. He could accomplish anything he set his mind to or at least tried to figure it out. Rich was known for his helping hand, jokes, smiles, love of his family and friends, along with his robust laughter.

He loved working with wood, building anything from tiny bird houses to room additions on homes, including his own home where he taught his children quite a few building skills.

Rich was a total family man. He always would take his family on camping vacations or road trips yearly. He enjoyed teaching his children camping and fishing techniques. After his children had grown he and his wife continued to camp, travel and fish until his COPD health made him stop.

Rich was a Boy Scout leader in both Loveland and Aurora. He earned the rank of Eagle Scout in Greenfield, Iowa in 1946. He was still proudly carrying his card in his wallet till the day he died. He attended several scout camps over the years and was able to attend a National Boy Scout Jamboree. Rich also helped his son, Richard II to reach the rank of Eagle Scout.

Rich and Esther were “snowbirds” in Mesa, AZ from 1990 till last April. His declining health prevented them from returning to Mesa last month for their 28th season. Rich was highly respected in Silveridge Resort. He was the president of the woodworkers shop for 10 years. During that time he learned to turn wooden bowls on a lathe and make close to 500 ink pins out of various materials. Rich volunteered with several activities and groups there. He was always known for his bright yellow “tape measure” suspenders.

He and his family are members of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Aurora since 1965. In the winter they were members of Our Saviors Lutheran Church, Mesa, Arizona.

He leaves behind his wife of 71 years, Esther. Daughter, Teresa (Ronald) Maniscalco, son, Richard II all of Aurora, Colorado and daughter Debra (Steve) Faint of Las Vegas Nevada, along with 5 grandchildren, 8 great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to: Denver Hospice, 501 S. Cherry Street, Suite 700, Denver CO 80246 or www.thedenverhospice.org in memory of Richard Rusk.