Obituary of Donald W. Rustad

Donald W. Rustad went Home to our Lord October 26th with his daughters by his side.  

Don was born in Fargo, ND, on October 18, 1925. His family lived there until he was ten years old when they moved to St. Paul, MN. At age 17 Don answered the call of his Nation, joining the Navy during the height of World War II. Like thousands of other Midwesterners, Don took his training at Great Lakes Naval Center in Chicago. Following basic training, he was trained as a sonar man and shipped to San Diego where he joined the crew of a brand-new destroyer escort, the USS Crowley. Just a few months later, at the age of 18, Don found himself standing in a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun mount looking at the beach of a tiny island called Peleliu. Don and the crew of the Crowley participated in nearly every island action through the end of the war.  

When Don was discharged in March of 1946, he made his way home and worked several jobs until he enrolled in the College of Business at the University of Minnesota; quite a feat considering he hadn’t received his diploma from Murray H.S. before he joined the Navy. Don met his treasured wife Donna at a Lutheran Student Association dance that fall, and they were married in November of 1947. Don and Donna lived in Minneapolis, Davenport, IA, Mankato MN, Indianapolis IN, Minnetonka MN, and Marco Island, FL. During this journey they raised their six children. In his working career, Don sold cars, ceramic tile, pianos and organs, cookware, roof tile and real estate. Most of his career was spent at Nordic Ware, from 1964 until 1979.   

Upon retirement in 1991, Don and Donna moved from Marco Island, FL to Sun City, AZ where Don learned how to create beautiful pieces of art from stained glass. What started as a hobby became a passion and Don developed into a prolific stained glass artist, creating commissioned pieces for many friends and churches.  

After battling cancer, Don’s lifelong love, Donna, passed away in 1998. Before passing, and knowing that Don needed a partner, Donna suggested that Don visit Darlene Orsund, the widow of a cousin. Don and Darlene married in the spring of 1999 and he continued his stained glass art at his workshops in Sun City and Pelican Rapids, MN. When both began to experience declining health in 2012, Don and Darlene moved year-round to Bemidji, MN. When Darlene passed away on January 4, 2016 Don moved in with his daughter and son-in-law, Julie and Rob Lahammer, in Minnetrista. For the past four years Don has been lovingly cared for by his family and he made it a point to tell them daily how much he appreciated the care and that he felt so lucky to be able to live in Julie and Rob’s home. Don’s family extends their most sincere and heartfelt thanks to all of the staff of Optage Hospice and Nurse Sandy and Chaplain Jen for their comfort and spiritual care over his last three weeks. 

Preceded in death by parents Elmer & Emma (Enger) Rustad; wife of 51 years, Donna (Dalquist) Rustad and wife of 17 years, Darlene Toso Olson Orsund Rustad. Survived by children Barb (Dave) Wigstadt, Phil (Cindy) Rustad, Pete (Tammy) Rustad, Ruth (Steve) Grant, Lisa (Dave) Hill, Julie (Rob) Lahammer and Dan (Valerie) Olson; grandchildren Joel (Alli) Wigstadt, Suzy (Brian) Simonson, Krista (Victor) Adedamola, Kate (Andy) Falvey, Stephanie (Brian) Loveland, Sarah (Mohsin) Rustad, Gunnar Rustad, Kiersten (Nate) Deakin, Julie (Nick) Nauman, Danny (Shannon) Hill, Jacob Lahammer, Luke Lahammer, Matt Olson, Ryan (Caroline) Olson, and great-grandchildren Knox Simonson; Freya & Tiegan Falvey; Josh, Nate, Lily, Nora & Zach Loveland, and Desmond Rustad.  Don is also survived by his sister-in-law, Dorothy Dalquist and many nieces and nephews and their families.

Don leaves us many legacies: His family (47 strong and still growing); lovingly designed and crafted pieces of stained glass in homes and churches across the country; and most importantly, the example he set for all of us to live a life filled with faith, kindness, humor, gratitude and love. 

A celebration of Don’s life will be held at Mount Calvary Lutheran Church in Excelsior, MN on Saturday, November 30th at 11am with Visitation one hour prior, followed by lunch. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a memorial to the Fort Snelling National Cemetery Honor Gaurd http://www.memorialriflesquad.org/donations or Mount Calvary Lutheran Church.  https://www.mountcalvary.org/give/give-online/