Kenneth LeOtis Reust was born June 26, 1933, to Roy and Eva Beatty Reust in Rifle, Colorado. The family moved to Grand Junction, Colorado, in 1936. Ken spent his school years in local schools, graduating from Central High School in 1951, attending Mesa Junior College in Grand Junction, and then attended college in Boulder. He joined the National Guard in 1952. For employment, he worked for Huckaby's grocery store at 15 and a half years old, AEC and made deliveries for Wonder Bread and Clover Club Potato Chips. Ken met EmaLea Rypma at a grocery store where he was delivering bread. He and EmaLea were married on February 1, 1959, in the First United Methodist Church in Grand Junction. They moved to Craig, Colorado, to take over the Wonder Bread route there. They purchased a small home in Craig. Their daughter, Debbie, was born in 1960, and son, Kelly, was born in 1962, and Kevin, (deceased), in 1963. In Craig, Ken was also a meter reader, Coors deliverer and a surveyor for the Colorado State Highway. Ken retired from the U.S. Post Office in 1996 and we moved back to Grand Junction in 1997. In 1998, Ken and EmaLea joined the First United Methodist Church where Ken was an usher, ran the sound system, and was the President of the Men’s Group. He spent much of his retirement in his recliner reading and watching birds eat. He also helped around the house.
Preceding Ken in death are his parents, Roy and Eve; brother and sister-in-law, Richard, and wife, Marj; sister and brother-in-law, Edith and Travis; son, Kevin Reust; brother-in-law, Bob; two sisters-in-law; and brother-in-law on the in-law side. Those left to mourn are daughter, Debbie, and husband, James; son, Kelly, and wife, IvaLynn; and Ken’s wife of 66 years, EmaLea; sister, Florence, brother-in law, Roy; brother-in-law, John, and wife, Barbara; nieces; nephews; cousins; step-grandchildren; step-great-grandchildren; and many friends from work, square dance, school and church.
In memory of Ken, support your libraries and love your animals.
In lieu of flowers donations made in the name of Kenneth Reust would be appreciated at the following places: https://www.clawsgj.org/support https://Mesacountylibraries.app.nconcrm.com/np/clients/mesacountylibraries/donation.jsp https://rhhumanesociety.org/donate/
