Joseph "Rusty" Rayzor Jr.

When you pass through the waters I will be with you. Isaiah 43:2

Joseph “Rusty” Akin Rayzor Jr., who resided in both Cedar Falls, Iowa, and Ave Maria, Florida, passed on January 3rd of 2022, having recently celebrated his 70th birthday, 40th wedding anniversary and the Christmas season surrounded in love by his wife, two children, their spouses and four granddaughters.

Rusty was born in 1951, to Joseph Akin Rayzor Sr. and Patricia Baldwin Rayzor in Houston, Texas. Rusty enjoyed sailing, swimming, and surfing along the Texas Gulf Coast in his youth. In college he took up scuba diving and upon graduating from Southwest Texas State University he co-owned Inland Divers and offered scuba lessons throughout the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. It was on one of those trips that he met the love of his life, Karen, and the two were wed in 1981. With the birth of their two children, Rusty’s career transitioned to sales and marketing for Busch Entertainment. He ended his career as a Department of Defense civil servant. During this time Rusty was never far from the water and he instilled a sense of adventure and love of life in his children. In retirement, Rusty again took up sailing, helming sailboats along the eastern U.S. coastline, the British Virgin Islands, the Caribbean and the Dalmatian coast of Croatia. His passion on land was building homes for Habitat for Humanity and restoring antique trucks. Mostly, he was a devoted grandfather for his four granddaughters, offering them his patience and wisdom.

He is survived by his wife Karen Rayzor, son Joseph Rayzor III, daughter-in-law, Sally, daughter Anna Conroy, son-in-law, Davitt, granddaughters Anderson Rayzor, Patricia Rayzor, Elizabeth Rayzor, and Nora Conroy, his two brothers Richard Rayzor and Jack Rayzor, three nieces and four nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph Rayzor Sr. and Patrica Rayzor and his infant sister Robin Rayzor.

Rusty was a member of St. Lukes Episcopal Church, Cedar Falls, Iowa. A private family service is planned for Cedar Falls, Iowa, and a larger Celebration of Life is planned for Ave Maria, Florida. Memorial donations may be sent to the St. Lukes Episcopal Neighbor to Neighbor Pantry, 2410 Melrose Drive, Cedar Falls, Iowa, 50613, Habitat for Humanity of Collier County, https://www.habitatcollier.org/donate/, or the San Antonio Food Bank, https://safoodbank.org/donate/.

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