Patricia Rustanius

Patricia Marie Rustanius passed away on August 26 th , 2023, her 65 th birthday, at Hollyhock Lane Care Home in Lafayette, Colorado.

Patricia was born at Torrance Memorial Hospital in Torrance, CA on August 26 th , 1958, to Paul and Virginia (Ginger) Rustanius. She was welcomed by her two older sisters, Kathy, and Cindy.

She attended local area schools in Torrance, Newton Elementary School, and South High School. Obtained her bachelor’s degree in biology from Washington State University and a master’s degree in horticulture from Colorado State University. She taught high school chemistry in Steamboat Springs, CO for one year, while enjoying all that the mountains had to offer. She loved skiing.

She worked for various pharmaceutical and biotech companies in and around the Boulder, CO area for the past thirty-plus years in quality, manufacturing, and regulatory affairs, retiring in January of 2022.

She loved the outdoors, the ocean, the beach, boating, and the Hawaiian Islands. She traveled extensively all over the world. She was mad about plants, flowers, and trees. She lived life as a natural conservationist. Wildly passionate about doing the right thing for the planet.

Throughout her life, her main mission was to care for animals, especially dogs and cats. The number is no doubt higher but at least 123 dogs were fostered, found homes for, or kept over the course of twenty years.

She had many, many, many friends who experienced her loving nature, unique personality, wicked sense of humor, and undying loyalty. Patty had that “secret sauce” of non-judgement in her life and friendships.

She will be missed deeply by “Team Patty” and her sisters, who cared for her every need from September of 2022 until her passing. Meena Keuer, Vicki Abbas, Dot Colagiovanni, Carrie Gray, Edye Bury, Judy Scott, Jill Kohla, Rebecca Newman, Wren Schauer, and Christa Drescher. Each person brought a special set of skills to support her.

During her brief illness, she demonstrated incredible grace, strength, and acceptance of her struggle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy. We all wished for a different outcome.

A Special thanks to her physicians, Dr. Nicole Getzel, and Dr. Jill Siegfried, her care coordinator, Lisa Yordy, her numerous caregivers during her stay at Flatirons Terrace especially Barbara Dearborn, Dignity Care, Trail Winds Hospice, and the staff at Hollyhock Lane Care Home. The attention and dedication to Patty’s needs was appreciated beyond measure.

She is survived by Kathy (sister) Penwell (Dave), Kainoa (nephew) Lincoln (Donna), their two children, Keala and Mahina, Cindy Rustanius (sister), and her dog, Winnie. She is proceeded in death by her father, Paul (1973) and mother, Virginia (2018).

In lieu of flowers, if you’d like to support some of her favorite charities, please do so in her memory to Colorado Retriever Rescue https://retrieverrescueofcolorado.com/ , The Kindness Ranch https://kindnessranch.org/ or Colorado Horse Rescue https://chr.org/ .

A Celebration of Life will be held in Boulder, CO this fall and another in Kona, HI where her ashes will join her father and mother for burial at sea.