Rusty Rhone

“Rusty” Rhone was born in Coleman, TX on January 3, 1962, the fourth of five children.  Rusty played football in High School and was involved in the FFA (Future Farmers of America) where he showed Maine-Anjou cattle and assisted his sister, Rosanne with her show horses.

He grew up working with his Dad and uncle “DeDe” as they successfully bought, grew and sold a variety of local businesses.  Rusty’s true passion came from the fruit of that labor, the 7R Ranch. By his junior year in high school he was running 200 head of cattle, meticulously managing the various grasses and pastures so that the ranch remained pristine, yet efficient. He learned how to artificially inseminate the females and assisted the vet with the birthing of the calves.  He loved it!

Rusty graduated from Coleman High School and attended Texas Tech University.  He went home most weekends to tend the ranch.  He joined the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity in the spring of his freshman year and met his “brothers for life”.  He frequently remarked that these were the most fun years of his life, all six of them!  He graduated with a Geology and Geophysics degree.  However, the universe had other ideas. Upon his graduation, the price of oil was tanking and geologists were being laid off.  So, he had to pivot. He moved to Dallas, took a job selling life insurance and soon met his future wife, Kim.

He discovered he wasn’t suited (literally) to an office environment. The receptionist at his life insurance company heard they were looking for help at Bill Reed Decorations, the original supplier of décor for Neiman’s fortnights, Crystal Charity, Cattle Baron’s and Northpark’s Christmas sets. Rusty started on the loading dock and five years later, by his father and father-in-law’s urging, made an offer to Bill Reed to purchase the company.  Rusty grew the business and expanded the Christmas market.

His daughter, Maddie was born two years later.  Rusty fell hard and fast for that sweet girl. He lived for morning bottle feedings, over-the-top birthday parties and was often known to show up after Sunday soccer practice with foil pans filled with smoked barbeque for the girls and coaches.

His son, Braden was born in the spring of 1999.  Rusty delighted in taking him shooting, attending Indian Guide camp outs, and cheering him on during football games. Of all their shared interests, Rusty particularly enjoyed traveling with him on the summer lacrosse trips with the Texas Mustangs and later watching him play at Washington and Lee University.

Rusty’s creativity and love of props extended beyond the warehouse. He constructed an exquisite play fort with customized canopy for the kids to play on in the backyard, he hosted an annual Halloween party with a spooky haunted house that covered the front of the house, and he put up a giant sleigh in the front yard with Santa and a large reindeer for the neighborhood kids to climb on. This doesn’t even cover all of the birthday parties and graduations.

Rusty was humble, direct and no nonsense. He liked you or he didn’t. His love was fierce, and his friends were like family.

He is preceded in death by his grandparents, George and Gladys Rhone and Doc and Bea McNutt; father, Don Rhone and three brothers, Ryan, Randy and Roddy Rhone.

Rusty is survived by his ex-wife, Kim Kakacek Rhone, daughter, Madison Rae Rhone, son,  Braden Connor Rhone, all from Dallas; his mother, Patsy Rhone and sister, Rosanne Rhone, of Granbury; two nephews, David Rhone of Ft. Worth and Donald Rhone and wife Megan of Weatherford; a niece, Kara Witten of Austin; great-nephew and great-niece, Oliver and Delilah Rhone; aunt, Joyce Rhone of San Angelo and a cousin, Rhonda Chapman and husband Kevin of Austin.

A funeral service will be held at 2:00 pm on Sunday, January 30 at Stevens Funeral Home Chapel in Coleman with Dr. David Medley, pastor of First United Methodist Church, officiating.  Interment will be in the family plot at Coleman City Cemetery under the direction of Stevens Funeral Home.

A celebration of his life will be held in Dallas at a later date.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to Rusty’s physician, Dr. Robert Haddox, for his diligent and compassionate care; Willow Reed, Billy Harper and all the employees of Wow Factor for their steadfast loyalty; his best friend, Micky McCulloch, for putting his life on hold (for two years) in order to manage the business and care for Rusty.  We would also like to thank the many health care workers and friends that patiently stood by him.  Each of you brought your own gifts of humor, strength and wisdom that motivated him to relentlessly battle, until he was joyously called to heaven.

Please leave kind thoughts and condolences for the family at www.stevensfuneralhome.com.  Stevens Funeral Home is honored to serve the Rhone family.