Marilyn Fae Rusch 87, of Spearfish, was called to her eternal home on November 13, 2014. Marilyn was born on December 6, 1926, the daughter of Ernest B. and Queenie (Felton) Kast.

While attending grade school and high school in Seneca, SD, Marilyn was very active in declam, music, theatre and basketball. She attended college at Macalester College in St. Paul, MN while Clif, her high school sweetheart, was enlisted in the United States Navy.

Marilyn married Clifford Rusch on June 3, 1947. During her forty-three years on the farm, she became locally recognized for her "green thumb". Her yard and flower gardens were an attraction to everyone who drove by their farm south of Seneca.


After retiring from farming, Marilyn and Clif moved to Spearfish, SD in 1990 and also enjoyed a winter residence in Tucson, AZ where she was active in the handcrafts of ceramics, clock-making and basket weaving.


Music was one of Marilyn's greater passions in life and while in Tucson, she sang as a member of the Voyager Belle Tones Chorus, a four-part barbershop harmony ladies chorus and also a quartet that travelled and performed at various venues in the Tucson area. Church choir was another of Marilyn's greater joys.

Marilyn's main priority in life was caring for her three children, Janette, Marcia and Don, nurturing them in singing, piano, guitar, swimming and various school activities. Her recipes and cooking skills were mouth watering as evidenced by her ginger snap cookies famously known from San Francisco to New York City.

Marilyn is lovingly survived by Clifford, her husband of 67 years; her daughter, Janette (Rod) Weber of Phoenix, AZ; her son, Don of West Des Moines, IA; seven grand-children, Shannon (Adam) Henning of Phoenix, AZ, Justin Weber of San Francisco, CA, Britta (Todd) Butler of Houston, TX, Ryan (Chandler) Stroud of New York City, NY, Chris (Kaitlyn) Stroud of Houston, TX, Katie (Greg) White of Ames, IA, Molly (Greg) Anderson of Urbandale, IA; ten great-grandchildren; brother, Richard Kast, of Eden Prairie, MN and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Marcia Stroud; her brother, Delbert Kast and her sister, Geraldine Schaper.


Funeral services will be at 10:00 AM on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 at the United Methodist Church in Spearfish. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery. A memorial has been established to benefit Hospice of the Northern Hills.