July 23, 1993 – September 4, 2019
Griffin Rusk
Our hearts were shattered in the early evening hours of September 4, 2019 upon learning of the death of our amazing son and brother, Griffin Rusk. He was 26 years old.
Griffin was born on July 23, 1993 in Helena, Montana. At a very early age, Griffin and his family moved to Kent, Washington. He attended Emerald Park Elementary School, Meeker Middle School and Kentridge High School where he graduated in 2011.
At the age of (almost) 2, Griffin’s permanent playmate and partner in crime, Rachael, was born. Throughout their lives, they enjoyed a very typical brother/sister relationship with their fair share of squabbles and disagreements, but Griff and Rachael stood by each other whenever life got tough and complicated.
Griffin possessed a sense of adventure and dreamed of seeing as much of the world as possible. Following high school, Griff was offered an opportunity to prepare himself for a career in the military by living and training with his Uncle Jason in Virginia Beach, Virginia. After a year, on February 13, 2013, Griffin enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. Serving his country was something Griffin was proud and honored to do. Over the next six years, Griffin would train as an EOD specialist and later as an avionics technician, repairing Pave Hawk Helicopters in Okinawa, Japan (Kadena AFB) and AC 130 gunships in Florida (Hurlburt Field). Griffin was also deployed to Afghanistan in 2017. Soon after leaving the military in February 2019, Griffin began his career with Lockheed Martin Corporation in Ocala, Florida.
Griffin was fortunate to have maintained some very strong and lasting friendships through the years. He had friends from all types of friend groups and they would often describe him as non-judgmental, trustworthy, genuine and free-spirited. There wasn’t a person he came in contact with who didn’t eventually appreciate the man he was. He thoroughly enjoyed spending time with friends whether celebrating a special occasion or just kicking back and watching football on a lazy Sunday afternoon. While he was always loyal to his home teams (UW, WSU and the Seahawks), his favorite team was the New England Patriots.
Early in 2015, while stationed in Okinawa, Japan, Griff fell in love with Krista Groves from Linden, Washington and they were married in September 2015. Sadly, they were divorced in the summer of 2019.
Griffin had many endearing qualities. He loved deeply and completely. He was smart and worked hard. He was a loyal friend and a faithful husband. He was honest. He wasn’t afraid to be goofy or admit a mistake or apologize when something went wrong. His effervescent personality could light up a room. He was someone we were proud to call our son, our brother and our friend.
Griffin is preceded in death by his paternal grandfather, Benjamin Rusk Sr. of Dunedin, Florida and his maternal grandparents, Ron and Annabelle Richards of Helena, Montana.
He is survived by his father, Benjamin Rusk (Tammy Decker), his mother Lisa Wallace (Ron Wallace), his sister, Rachael Rusk (fiancé Andrew Moore), grandmothers Eileen Cairns (Harry Cairns) and Jimmie Rusk (Mike LaFollette) and step-brother Chad Wallace. Griffin also had many loving relatives including (aunts and uncles) Jason and Ally Rusk, Kent Richards, Brent Richards, Jordon Vellenger, Jackie NLN and Jonny Carr and (cousins) Brandey and Ken Davenport, Jillian Richards, Courtney Rusk and Jonathan Rusk, Hayden and Savanna Vellenger, Beau Hyatt, Ally Glockner and Clairyce (Claire) Glockner.
Griffin’s life, albeit short, was a life well-lived. Please join us on Saturday, October 19, 2019 to remember Griffin and celebrate his important and incredible life. Services will be held at New Life Church, 15711 152nd Avenue SE, Renton, Washington beginning at 11:00 a.m. A reception will follow the memorial service. Griffin’s ashes will be interned in the Tahoma National Cemetery in a private ceremony at a later date.