William "Lee" Rust

Lee passed away peacefully at home in Tallahassee, Florida on September 16, 2022 one week past his 78th birthday, September 9, 1944. Parents, Franklin and Mary Jane Rust, raised him on a farm south of Bloomington, Illinois along with his older brother, Randall Rust, who currently resides in Wolfesboro, NH and Rebecca Rust, who recently moved from Washington DC back to Tallahassee. Lee attended University High School in Normal, IL then graduated from Lanphier High in Springfield, IL with the Class of 1963. He was a member of their golf and basketball teams. Lee went on to college at Florida Southern University in Lakeland, graduating with a Psychology Degree and was very active in their theater program. Lee was honored to be a member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, later being especially proud of his son, Bradley Rust, who joined their chapter at the University of Illinois. Lee loved to write songs and recorded hundreds while in high school and college. Lee came to Tallahassee in 1980 to visit his sister who took him to a Florida State football game and he loved it so much he moved there, founding a small wholesale ceiling fan company. The company grew into one of the largest lighting stores in northern Florida. Tallahassee Lighting, Fan and Blind. He attributed much of his store's success to his strong team led by manager, Kevin Ryan. Lee loved his work, FSU sports especially basketball and football, his home on the Florida coast, boating on the Gulf, and spending time with his beloved Barbara Slocum who passed away in 2019. Lee is survived by not only his siblings. Randy and Becky, but also his two children, Jennifer and Brad. and six grandchildren who cared deeply for "Pops." Jennifer resides in Paradise Valley, AZ with her husband, Russ Posorske, and five children: Ben, Reagan, Grace, Isabella and Will. Brad is married to Kris Schmidt and lives in Rancho Mission Viejo, CA with his daughter, Lucy. In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to Florida Southern College at flsouthern.edu/giving and specify Theater Department/Lee Rust.