Russell I. Pisle

Russell I. "Rusty" Pisle 89, died at 5:50 PM on Friday, October 6, 2017, at Otterbein Cridersville Assisted Living in Cridersville, Ohio.

Russell I. "Rusty" was born on May 22, 1928, in Chicago, Illinois to the late Russell I. Pisle Sr. and Rose C. (Schurke). On Friday, March 16, 1951, in Carlisle, Iowa, he married Margaret M. (Love). She preceded him in death on March 1, 2016. They had been married 64 years.

Rusty graduated from Morgan Park Military Academy, in Chicago, IL and received a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy from Iowa State University. He served in the United States Army where he received two Silver Stars and one Bronze Star while serving in the Korean Conflict and retired as a Captain. He was owner/operator of the Farm Service Centers. Rusty was one of the first agricultural ambassadors, on a People to People Tour, to the Soviet Union in 1964. He was a Founding Director of the National Fertilizer Solutions Association. In 1970, he and Carl Smith formed the Spencerville and Elgin Railroad.

Rusty served as President of the Lima Symphony Orchestra Board, the Lima Civic Center Board (1978-1988), and the Lima Area Council on aging, where he coordinated the renovation of the Barr Hotel into Barr Senior Apartments in 1994. He was a member of the Lima Kiwanis Club and coordinated the hosting of Russian Ambassadors in 1999. He was a member of St. Luke's Lutheran Church and was instrumental in the construction of the New Life Center in 2005 and helped to construct the St. Luke's Church at Safety City. Rusty hiked the Appalachian Trail for 2 weeks in 1988. He was a Master Gardener and participated in the"Great Race" in 2006.

Rusty and Margaret loved to travel and traveled the globe. The family spent many memorable Christmas holidays in St. Croix, USVI and traveled across the lower 48 states during the summers.

He is survived by a daughter, Mary Stepleton, of Lima, OH, a son, John (Heather) Pisle, of Lima, OH, a daughter, Cathy (Bowman) Brown, of Charlotte, NC; six grandchildren, Andrew Stepleton, Lima, OH, Megan (Christopher) Fenton, Croton-on-Hudson, NY, Shana (Dr. Brian) Taylor, Lima, OH, Kevin (Eleni) Pisle, Maryland Heights, MO, Meredith (Sam) Sinclair, Hingham, MA and Alex Brown, Charlotte, NC; one great granddaughter, Margaret Louise Fenton; a sister, Jane Hoyt, of Phoenix, AZ. and a brother-in-law, Glenn Love, West Des Moines IA.

He was preceded in death by a son-in-law, Terry Stepleton, sister-in-laws Myldred Love, Lorraine Love, and Beverly Love, and brother-in-laws, Robert Love, Donald Love and Donald Hoyt.

The family will receive friends from 4-7 P.M. on Monday, October 16, 2017 at Chamberlain Huckereide Funeral Home and one hour prior to the memorial service.

A Memorial Service will begin at 11:00 AM on Tuesday, October 17, 2017 at St. Lukes Lutheran Church. Pastor MichaelHughes officiating. Military Honors will be conducted by VFW Post 1275.

Burial of ashes will be interred in Allen Twp Cemetery, Carlisle, Iowa at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Luke's Lutheran Church, 209 W. North Street,, Lima, Ohio 45801.

Condolences may be expressed at www.chamberlainhuckeriede.com