Burt DeRusha

Jean Burton Ralph DeRusha, age 87, of Lake of the Woods, fought the good fight and received his welcome home hug from Jesus on Sunday May 6, 2018 at Parkview Hospice facility in Ft. Wayne, Indiana.  He was born on August 3, 1930 in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin to Clarence Joseph Michael and Esther Myrtle (Montgomery) DeRusha.  He married Bobbie Lou Burke on March 9, 1951 at Temple Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan. Burt retired from a long career as a sales and service manager at Specialty Door Systems in Redford, Michigan in 1992.  Prior to his retirement, he was very active in the community of Northville, Michigan, serving on the Planning Commission and as a City Councilman from 1977-1985.  He also served in several roles at the First Baptist Church of Northville including deacon, Boy’s Brigade Leader, choir member, and teacher.  After he and Bobbie moved to the lake in Northeast Indiana, he served on the LaGrange Sewer Board and the Lake of the Woods Homeowners Association and was a past president of the association.  Burt also served as an elder, Sunday school teacher, and AWANA leader at First Christian Church in Kendallville, Indiana.

He was funny, ornery, hardworking, studious, generous, and wise.  He touched countless lives with his commitment to Jesus and never met a stranger.  He played golf any chance he could and he fixed every squeaky door in every house he visited, usually while telling a five minute joke that left you in stitches.  He teased, he laughed, he taught, he learned.  He never let an opportunity go by to pass along a compliment.  He impacted his family to love the Lord, both through word and action, and leaves behind many who grieve, but with hope and the assurance that we will see him again in Heaven.

He was preceded in death by his parents, by his wife of 65 happy years, Bobbie Lou DeRusha, and also by his brother Brian Kent DeRusha. He is survived by his three children and their spouses: Karen (Doug) Stein, Kim (Rick) Sharp, and Kent (Cathy) DeRusha, and his good friend, Marilyn Harp.  Also surviving are his only sister, Evelyn DeRusha; his brother- in-law and his wife, Richard (Sharon) Burke; nine grandchildren Caleb (Ecko) Stein, Rachel (Mark) Springer, Dan (Brandie) DeRusha, Bethany Stein, Shannon (Nick) Arch, Joshua (Robin) Stein, Emily (Jim) Sawin, Katie Sharp, Michael Sharp; and eleven great-grandchildren, Joe, Jack, Isabel, Isaac, Calvin, Beckett, Holden, Brooklyn, Preston, Ella, and Evan.

A memorial service will be held at First Christian Church in Kendallville, Indiana on June 30, 2018 at 11:00 am with visitation one hour prior to the service.  Arrangements are by Hite Funeral Home of Kendallville.

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