Ellen Rust

The pilgrimage of Ellen Augusta Rust nee Gerth through this world of sin and sorrow into the glories of heaven may be summed up as follows: Her earthly journey began when she was born on the family farm, 10 miles northeast of Estelline, South Dakota, September 28, 1918, daughter of August and Augusta Gerth. She became a child of God by the power of the Holy Spirit though baptism on December 8, 1918, and was confirmed in her baptismal grace on July 31, 1932, at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hidewood Township, South Dakota. Her confirmation verse was John 6:68, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." Ellen was a 1937 graduate from Clear Lake High School in Clear Lake, South Dakota. She graduated in 1940 with a nursing degree from Fairview School of Nursing in Minneapolis. The Lord joined Ellen together with William Rust in holy matrimony on June 22, 1940, at Shakopee, Minnesota. The Lord blessed their marital union with Christian companionship and with three children: David, Ronald, and Richard. During the formative years of her children, she was a housewife and mother. Eventually she worked as a registered nurse at Deuel County Hospital in Clear Lake for about forty years.

For many years Ellen was a member at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hidewood Township until she eventually moved to the Twin Cities in September of 2012. From then on she was a member at Grace Lutheran Church in Fridley, Minnesota, committed to the truth of God's Word and understanding the payment her Savior made for her sins: "looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." (Titus 2:13-14).
Ellen's soul was summoned to be with her Lord this past Tuesday, December 8, 2015, her time of grace here on earth being 97 years, 2 months, and 10 days. Her earthly remains will be laid to rest on Monday, December 14, 2015, at the cemetery located at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hidewood Township, South Dakota, next to her husband, awaiting the Last Day of the world when our Lord will invite all of His believers: "Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world" (Matthew 25:34).

Ellen was preceded in death by her father and mother; brother Reinhold; sister Alma Begalka (husband, Walter); brother Elmer; and sister Rhoda Rutz (husband, Helmuth). She is survived by her son David (wife, Norma) of Fridley, MN; son Ronald (wife, Judith) of Leesburg, VA; son Richard (wife, Cleo) of Ohio; 13 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.

We thank the Lord for blessing us with Ellen and allowing her to touch our lives in the way that she did as a mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister-in-Christ, and friend. "The LORD gave, the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21).

Funeral service 11AM Friday, December 11 at Grace Lutheran Church in Fridley. Services will also be held at Zion Church in Estelline, SD 57234 on Monday, December 14, 2015 at 1PM