Rusty's Final Flight

I enjoyed Rustys antics for many years. From his church yard 1/2 A flights to his trophies in competition. He was kind enough to video a lot and share. Also enjoyed his witty humor.
He will be missed.

It was very sad to hear of Rusty's passing, the whole Wimmer family will miss you much. I knew him from Stunthangar and in particular his video chart Hangout sessions which I enjoyed and learnt so much from over the years. He often spoke of his great joy of flying his 1/2A models and would share his knowledge freely with us all. Such a dedicated, welcoming, witty and understanding host is hard to find and he made everyone feel included in his group. Just to say a few words of thanks and goodbye to Rusty I felt I had to sign up to this forum but wish I had done so earlier .
Our condolences and prayers go out to Rusty and his family.

Regards
Gerald Wimmer

Has anybody started a paypal fund to send some flowers or something?

I was fortunate enough to meet and hang out with Rusty and Holley at Huntersville last year.  Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers did a song called "You Can't Make Old Friends".  Rusty and Holley proved them wrong.  I only spent a couple days with them, but it didn't take long to see that Holley was the wind beneath Rusty's wings.

Please keep Holley in your prayers.  
Rest in peace Rusty.  You will be missed my friend.

Mark Boesen wrote:Has anybody started a paypal fund to send some flowers or something?

A fund is currently in the works. Ron is getting in contact with Holley to see what is preferred.

cool beans, thanks!

Well, this sucks.  I’ve been trying to figure out what to write for the last couple of days, but nothing seems adequate.  Like everyone else, I’ve gotten to know Rusty through the CEF, Stunt Hangar, and his Hangouts.  Being on the West Coast, I never got to meet him in person, but we’ve corresponded a lot over the years.  I really don’t have much to add to what everyone else has said about Rusty.  It’s pretty universal.  I only learned of him being in Hospice on Friday evening, so this was pretty quick.  I guess the best I can do is say how much I will miss him.  I guess it’s serendipitous that I finished my Flip the night before I heard of him in Hospice.  For the plane, I used some bladder fittings that Rusty sent me a while back.  Hopefully there will be someone out at the field tomorrow to launch for me so I can fly the plane in thanks to Rusty.




Mark

Gerald Wimmer wrote:It was very sad to hear of Rusty's passing, the whole Wimmer family will miss you much. I knew him from Stunthangar and in particular his video chart Hangout sessions which I enjoyed and learnt so much from over the years. He often spoke of his great joy of flying his 1/2A models and would share his knowledge freely with us all. Such a dedicated, welcoming, witty and understanding host is hard to find and he made everyone feel included in his group. Just to say a few words of thanks and goodbye to Rusty I felt I had to sign up to this forum but wish I had done so earlier .
Our condolences and prayers go out to Rusty and his family.

Regards
Gerald Wimmer

Hi Gerald. Welcome to our little group- I wish it could have been under different circumstances. I noticed your post over on Stunthangar and was encouraged by it. It's nice to see you here as well.
Stories such as yours regarding Rusty's encouragement of your kids in the hobby help put things in perspective a little. The old guard go out, and the plan is, the new guard come in. Clearly Rusty was doing his bit to ensure that a new generation would keep the flame burning. To Rusty it never mattered where you were from, what you did, who you voted for, we were all pretty much equal in Rusty's eyes, which is how it should be. He set us all a pretty good example of what characteristics our lives should show to make the world that little bit better.

Rod.

I spoke to Holley yesterday. There will be no funeral or memorial service at this time. Rusty is being cremated and Holly will scatter his ashes in the places he enjoyed most. She did speak of a gathering of sorts after all Covid restrictions are lifted. We'll just have to wait to see when and where that will occur.

londke3 wrote:I spoke to Holly yesterday. There will be no funeral or memorial service at this time. Rusty is being cremated and Holly will scatter his ashes in the places he enjoyed most. She did speak of a gathering of sorts after all Covid restrictions are lifted. We'll just have to wait to see when and where that will occur.

Thanks for that, Mike.
Bob

https://southcarolinacremation.com/tribute/details/534/Benjamin-Knowlton-III/obituary.html#tribute-start

londke3 wrote:I spoke to Holley yesterday. There will be no funeral or memorial service at this time. Rusty is being cremated and Holly will scatter his ashes in the places he enjoyed most. She did speak of a gathering of sorts after all Covid restrictions are lifted. We'll just have to wait to see when and where that will occur.

https://southcarolinacremation.com/tribute/details/534/Benjamin-Knowlton-III/obituary.html#tribute-start

Thanks, Mike. I've pasted the actual obit after your link, so it will be readily available for others to read as time passes. Links for someone including to contributing toward planting a tree in memory of Rusty are at the bottom of the obit. I understand how Covid-19 has affected visitation in memory of lost loved ones. My mother passed away in Charlotte, NC January 28, 2020. Plans to visit her grave site next to my father at Punchbowl National Cemetery in Honolulu, HI this Fall have been put on hold because of mandatory out-of-state visitor quarantine requirements. I am reminded of:

Romans 8:28 (WEB) wrote:We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to his purpose. (World English Bible)

I admire the strength of Rusty's wife in all this, she is a stout person in how she is handling this.

Can I encourage members to take the time to leave a message of condolence for Rusty's family at this link.  

https://southcarolinacremation.com/tribute/details/534/Benjamin-Knowlton-III/condolences.html#content-start

I'm sure they would appreciate seeing how far and wide Rusty's life and love had reached around the world.

Rod.

A fund has set up to collect donations. After two weeks, the fund will be awarded to Rusty's family to do with however they see fit.

Rusty has given so much to this forum, I feel that this is at least an attempt to give a little back.


https://paypal.me/pools/c/8swqUhRNke

I plan to leave this open until at least the 26th of September.

Here is Rusty’s entry into the journal from the Traveling Engine 1.

Early 1980's Rusty with Jean and his Camaro

Almost looks like a storybook couple, nice, thanks for sharing.

Rusty’s wife is named Holley. Doesn’t look like her so perhaps Rusty’s sister?

Hey guys,

Let’s do our best to chip in. I know money is tight for everyone at this time, but Rusty deserves our very best.

Yes that is his sister Jean Knowlton.

Oh no. Just logged in to see what’s going on and saw this.

I always really admired Rusty’s determination, or stubbornness even, to learn and become better at pattern flying. From those churchyard flight videos with the RR-1-powered little combat plane doing vertical 9’s to the ”big and proper” stunt planes he so meticulously built and flew with success. All this with the medical challenges making it physically more and more difficult as time went by. He was always eager to give advice here on the forum, his write-ups (essays I think he called them ) were thorough and well thought of, good and entertaining material. I was kind of worried as his Forum entries became few and far between in the past year or two.

This is a huge loss to the hobby and to our little community, but it must be absolutely devastating to his family and friends that knew him personally. I wish I would have had a chance to meet him. Well, maybe another lifetime.

His last line on the Traveling Engine Logbook shows the ”Spirit of Rusty”: Teach a kid to fly!

Rest in Peace, Rockin’ Rusty. We miss you.

Just saw this...

Rusty was a decade old customer of our Cox products and, far from being his final flight; wherever he now is, he is spinning circles with a Cox engine equipped airplane, mentoring us with his spirit

We will be donating a portion of what he spent with us