Allen Rustad

Funeral Service for Allen Rustad, 76, of Baker will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Stevenson Funeral Home with Pastor Rod Kilsdonk offciating. Burial to following at Bonnievale Cemetery.

Visitation will be 10:00-11:00 a.m. Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

Allen was born December 28, 1948, in Miles City, Montana, the youngest child of Kenneth and Irene (Mendenhall) Rustad. He lived on the farm near Ollie his entire life. When he was young, his chores included feeding the chickens and rooster. He often rode in the back of the tractor while his mom summer fallowed. As he grew he became adept at fixing and maintaining the farm equipment.

In high school he participated in wrestling, football, and the boys’ glee club. He graduated with the infamous class of 1967. He attended college in Bozeman for a short time. Not a serious student, after a year he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He received his basic training in San Diego and continued training in Memphis and Little Creek, Virginia. Working mostly as an aircraft mechanic, he served two tours of duty in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971. . When his plane was shot down, he and one other surviving crew member spent 18 days surviving in the jungle before finding their way back to camp. He received the Navy Achievement Medal for his service in Vietnam. He was transferred to Patuxent River, Maryland, where he worked with the Oceanographic Development Squadron. Allen sang in the Navy’s Blue Jacket Choir, performing for several church services each Sunday. Eventually the messages he heard penetrated his heart, and he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord.

After four years in the Navy, Allen returned to the farm. He spent many years farming and ranching, working diligently to keep the equipment running and helping many neighbors do the same. He was never afraid to try new and innovative farming practices.

Allen was a social soul and loved meeting and welcoming new people. He joined a square dancing club where he met a single teacher named Jan Delger. After a few months of being square dance partners, they became partners for life. They were married for 46 years and raised four daughters. Allen attended many of the girls’ activities and faithfully kept their vehicles running and in good shape.

Allen cared deeply about his community and served as a volunteer or board member for numerous organizations. He was a member of the Assembly of God Church. He served as a Fallon County Commissioner, a supervisor for the Little Beaver Conservation District, and a board member for his church. He was a Boy Scout leader and took his scouts on many adventures, including trips to Pactola Lake and Yellowtail Dam. He dedicated many hours to designing and building a small scout camp on his own land.

Allen had a variety of hobbies and interests including flying, camping, photography, custom combining, woodworking, rafting, and operating a small lumber mill. He designed cherished custom woodworking projects for many family members, friends, and neighbors. He became skilled at welding and worked for Mitchell’s Oilfield Service after retiring from farming.

He is survived by his wife, Jan; daughters Erin (Henry) Griffith (Mason and Vincent), Sarah (Michael) Haughey (Scarlett), Allison (Cain) Kolar (Hosanna, Walter, Ella, Samuel, and Daniel), and Georgia (Jarett) Blain (Russell and Halle); sister, Thelma (Bill) Witt; brother Vern McCants; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He is preceded in death by his parents Kenneth and Irene Rustad, parents-in-law Garret and Betty Delger, brothers, Ken Rustad and Jim McCants, and sisters-in-law Linda, Virginia, and Dee McCants and Sophia Rustad.