Jerry W. Rusk

Jerry W. Rusk, 80, of Coal Valley, Illinois, died Saturday, December 18, 2021, in Trinity Rock Island.

Services are 10 a.m. Monday, January 3, in the Horizon Room at Trimble Funeral Home at Trimble Pointe, 701 12th Street, Moline, with Rev. Mark Frazee and Pastor Anthony Martinez officiating. Visitation is 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, January 2. Cremation will take place at Trimble Crematory and burial will be in Moline Memorial Park. A luncheon will be held at Homewood Evangelical Free Church, Moline, following the burial.

Jerry Wayne Rusk was born January 13, 1941, in Grundy County, Missouri, to Gail and Alta Mae (Foster) Rusk. He graduated from UTHS in 1959, and married Janet Hull on May 7, 1960, in Geneseo. He worked at International Harvester and JICase for over 30 years, retiring in 1993. He then worked at Whitey’s Ice Cream for 10 years. He was a member of UAW local 1304. He was a skilled craftsman who built his own home and his daughter’s. He enjoyed traveling cross-country on his Honda Gold Wing motorcycle, and loved his dog, Gretchen.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Janet; four children and their spouses, Sherry and Tony Martinez of East Moline, Scott and Cara Rusk of Port Charlotte, FL, Angela and David Hoepfner of East Moline, ;and Elizabeth Blackwood of East Moline; 15 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and siblings and spouses, Hazel Williams, Rex aRusk, Frances Laktas, Wilma Connelly, Brenda and Guy Barber, and Joann and Keith Smith. He was preceded in death by brothers, Robert, Arnold and Earl Rusk, and sisters, Pebble Collis, and Gayla Rusk who died in infancy.

The service will be lived streamed, and the link will be posted on Jerry’s tribute page at TrimbleFuneralHomes.com, where friends can share stories and condolences.