Beverly “Bev” JoAnn Rusk, 79, was surrounded by her family as she went to be with the Lord on September 23, 2020.
Bev was born on November 26, 1940, in Edgemont, South Dakota, to Harold L. and Elsie (Webster) Thompson. Bev was a high school cheerleader and upon graduation she had a scholarship to Black Hill State University where she received her teaching certificate.
Bev married the love of her life, Gayle Rusk, on July 10, 1960, in Alliance, Nebraska. They soon moved to Chadron, NE, where Gayle went to school and played football for Chadron State University. It was there, they welcomes their daughter Sheila. Gayle could not miss the Homecoming game, therefore Bev’s physician called Chadron’s head coach to pass along to Gayle he was now a father to a baby girl. The game announcer then told the wonderful news at halftime for the entire stadium to hear.
Four years later they would welcome their son, Tom, in Edgemont, SD. Tom completed their family of four. Tom later settled in Arizona and Bev looked forward to spending time with him and his family during the cold Wyoming winters.
After working in California, at a naval weapons station, Bev and Gayle moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Bev worked at the Veterans Administration as a ratings specialist for 35 years, until her retirement. She was compassionate and worked hard in hopes of helping Veterans get the benefits they deserved.
Bev’s lasting legacy will always be her loyalty and steadfast love she had for her grandchildren. She was truly their rock and their biggest fan. Year after year she faithfully drove them to and from school, and never missed a soccer game or basketball tournament. She not only helped fund many FFA steer projects, but drove her granddaughters to do their chores every evening. As her four grandchildren in Cheyenne got older, she enjoyed going with them to pick out dresses for formal dances. In some of her later years she loved being a snowbird to Phoenix, AZ, with her girlfriends. She was then able to spend more time with her Arizona grandchildren.
Our fondest memories of Bev will always include her sense of adventure, her love to treat others to dinner, being a die-hard Nebraska Cornhusker, Wyoming Cowboy, and Oakland Raiders fan, and her true love and compassion for any animal that crossed her path. Most of all she taught us the importance of our Faith in God and always being there for family.
Surviving Beverly are her two children; Sheila (Troy) Rininger and Tom (Kim) Rusk, and her grandchildren, Kaley (Matt) Gaskins, Kendall (Josh) Phillippi, Kaitlin (Kenneth) Rosenquist, and Mackenzie Clement, Madison and Max Rusk, Allie and Mike Benn, and Jesse Lopez Rosa. She is survived by four great grandchildren, and her beloved dog, Cooper. Bev is also survived by her sister Norma Jean Keil, brother Darwin Thompson and sisters-in-law, Donna Thompson and Norma Thompson and many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband Gayle Rusk and two brothers; Bud and Floyd Thompson.
A celebration of Beverly’s life will be held Saturday, April 24 at 10:30 a.m. at the United Methodist Church in Alliance with Reverend Gideon Achi officiating. Inurnment will be in the Alliance Cemetery.
Online condolences may be left at www.batesgould.com.