Encouraging Women Today

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Rusty who is my nephew, but raised as my brother passed on to be with the Lord July 10th and will be missed by all who knew and loved him. This is a little bio of his life.

RUSTY

Everyone has a father you say – but wait – not everyone does have an earthly father. Rusty Bunger III was born 2 months after his father RC. Bunger II was taken from this earth after battling cancer.

I barely remember Rusty’s father who was my brother, but I remember when Rusty was born and came to live with our family. I was six years old and Rusty was two when his mother, who was a single parent felt she could not care for Rusty while working long hours. She trusted him with my parents, who were his grand parents, whom he called Mama Kate and Dad. At the time I thought this was quite an intrusion. I was use to having the run of the household and now I had to relinquish that control. By now I considered Rusty my brother. I admit I picked on him a lot, tattled on him, and ran him ragged out on the farm which we lived. If any trouble happened I admit I would always say it was Rusty's fault. One of our favorite stories was when I put him and Bill (another nephew) in my sister, Beverly’s car. I got into the driver’s seat, put in the clutch and started rolling down the lane. The car went out into a cornfield; I jumped out and left Rusty and Bill in the car. Needless to say Beverly tanned by bottom. I was 7, Bill was 6 and Rusty was 3 at the time of the run-away car.

Rusty lived with Mama Kate, Dad and me until he was nine and at this time his mother wanted custody. This was a heartbreak for all of us as he moved out into his birth mother’s home. Mary was a beautiful women; she worked hard to make a living. Rusty was left alone a lot because of that, but he never complained. In fact Rusty wore that “non complaining badge” all the time up to the day of his death.

Rusty played football in high school and was crowned King one year. Rusty was a friend to many as long as he lived. He was involved in many activities and did all things well. He has always been a "bundle of energy" from snow skiing, boating, jet skiing, snowmobiling, golfing along with always piddling and fixing things. He was always on the look out for those in need. He had a giving heart, caring, compassionate heart.

At the age of 18 Rusty made the decision to come back to Mama Kate & Dad’s home to live. I was married and had to get to know Rusty all over as an adult. I loved being around Rusty because he always let you talk, he had a Corvette, and he loved anything exciting, fast & fun.

I was in college at the time, so saw very little of Rusty. God brought Libby into Rusty’s life and placed her at the right place at the right time. She filled in every void that was in Rusty’s life. Thank you Libby for all of those years. When their children, Dawn & RC were born, another void was filled. Now Rusty got to be that father that he never had and he adored his children. He poured his life into his family and loved them dearly.

The older we got the closer we got. Rusty & Libby took care of Mama Kate in her Senior Years. God gave her Rusty in return for RC whom he took to heaven. One day I was thanking him for his care to “our” mother and he replied “she took care of me when I was a child, now it's my turn to take care of her”. For this she was ever grateful! Rusty was the love of her life because in a way she got her son back. I saw what a big heart Rusty had through these years. I always felt if I ever needed him he would always be there.

Over this past couple of years, Rusty has encouraged our family to stay close. When asked how he was doing it was always “I’m good”. Last summer I asked Rusty a serious question: “ is everything OK between you and God”, and he said, “of course Sharon, I take care of important things”!

Whenever we are out on our boat we try to call Rusty and rub it in. In Texas we can be out in our boat 9 months out of the year. In NY, not so. Last week we were laughing at a private joke about our boat and me. He loved life to the fullest as long as the ship was in.

Rusty will leave a legacy that will be remembered until our time is up on this earth. He loved and he was loved.