Michael "Mike" Rustad

Michael Dean Rustad was born on November 9, 1953, to Boutwell and Dorothy (Nelson) Rustad in Willmar, Minnesota. He was baptized and confirmed at West Norway Lake Lutheran Church in Sunberg, Minnesota. One of Mike's fondest memories from childhood was spending time at his grandparents' resort on Games Lake in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota. He grew up in the Willmar area and attended school at Willmar High School, graduating in 1972. He enlisted in the United States Navy and served until his honorable discharge on March 13, 1975. He moved to the Pipestone, Minnesota and attended Pipestone Area Vocational College for Meatcutting. While he was at school there, he met his wife, Marcia Ostermeier and they were united in marriage in 1976. During the coming years the family moved to a number of different places in Minnesota, finally landing again in Willmar, Minnesota where he attended Ridgewater College in Willmar for photography. They moved to Redfield, South Dakota where he opened his own photography studio. After a time, they moved to Pipestone to be near family. He bought Ken's Photography studio and later moved to a different location and renamed the business, Rustad's Photography. While he was doing photography, he also started buying and selling boats, later opening Rustad Water Sports. In 1999, he met Cindy Ahlers and the two shared many good times through the years. They recently celebrated 25 years together with a trip to Negril, Jamaica which included some family members. Even after the business closed, he continued to buy and sell boats as he greatly enjoyed doing so. In December of 2024, he was diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer which he battled until his passing on Sunday, April 13, 2025 at his home in Pipestone.

Mike enjoyed life through many different pastimes. He enjoyed fishing, boating, travelling, and sprint car racing. Every summer he traveled to Grand Forks, Manitoba, Canada where he had a full-time camper site. He took many family members and friends up there with him. It was his special place where he made many lifelong Canadian friends. For the past several years he looked forward to the annual Labor Day Weekend in Bemidji, Minnesota where many family members and friends gathered at Big Turtle Lake. The trip that Cindy and he made to Negril, Jamaica for their anniversary was a return trip after enjoying visiting Negril several times in the past. Mike was the type of guy who would get to know anyone. He always took the backroads to get somewhere rather than the interstate as it allowed a slower pace and more opportunities to meet someone new. His children and grandchildren will always remember him yelling, "Shut the door" as they came and went from his home.

Mike is lovingly remembered by his fiancé, Cindy Ahlers, of Pipestone; children, Stephanie Foster of Brookings, South Dakota, Anthony (fiancé, Elizabeth Martinez) Rustad of Pipestone, and Timothy Rustad of Pipestone; step-sons, Justin (Dana) Ahlers of Lafayette, Indiana, Jeremy Ahlers of Pipestone, and Travis (Emily) Ahlers of Sioux Falls, South Dakota; siblings, Steve Rustad of Spicer, Minnesota, Julie Rustad of Willmar, Jodi (Larry) Vandesteeg of Willmar, and Dana Rustad of Willmar; grandchildren, Thosten Silva, Tyler Richardson, Audrey Foster, Emily Foster, Addison Rustad, Meritt Rustad, Traeten Rustad, Caleb Ahlers, and Thomas Ahlers; and his beloved dogs, Tucker and Henri. He was preceded in death by his parents, Russ and Dorothy; twin infant sons, Jesse and Jared Rustad; and son-in-law, Mark Silva.