Rusty Dale Blankenship, 49, went to his heavenly home on December 9, 2021. Originally from Wheelersburg, OH, Rusty had resided in Greenville, SC for the past 18 months.
Rusty was preceded in death by his grandparents, Elmer and Gladys Porter as well as Bill and Eloise Blankenship. He is survived by his daughter Gracie Kay Blankenship of Huntington, WV, parents Bill Blankenship of Wheelersburg and Peggy and Don Schmeisser of Burlington, KY, brothers Ben (Amy) of Lafayette, IN and Jeffry (Brittany) of Burlington, KY, nieces Morgan, Olivia, Alexandra and Skylie and nephew Kai Blankenship. Many aunts, uncles, cousins (Chris, Jody, Mandy, Jenny, Kim, Jimmy, Kathi, Johnny, Carl Melvin, Michael, Robbie, Tracy, Mark, Chris and Lee Ann) and friends who are too numerous to list.
Rusty was saved as a young child and baptized by Reverend Jim Conkey. He was a member of Union Freewill Baptist Church and loved singing specially requested songs for the congregation. One dear saint requested nearly every service for Rusty to sing “I Can’t Even Walk (Without You Holding My Hand)”.
Rusty had a heart of gold, a smile to light up the room and the best hugs ever. Rusty loved kids, and they loved him as he was a big kid himself! Because he loved playing on the floor, talking like Donald Duck or acting like he was eating all the fishing worms, Rusty was known as the “fun uncle” by his nieces and nephew. Rusty loved to fish as you could find him at any fishing hole in the area with his sidekick Gracie to unhook the fish and throw them back in the water.
Rusty’s love for baseball began when the neighborhood kids would come together to play. He had many coaches over the 12 years he played the sport. His dad was his coach for many years along with Jim Carver, Steve Ellis, Rick Miller, Paul Wesney, Rookie Fannin and Jack Branon.
Football was also important to Rusty. His dad and Rick Miller coached him in pee wee, his dad, Rick and Ken Massie in junior high, Mike Schmidt and Ron Bailey as a freshman and then legendary Coach Ed Miller, Larry Hall, Jim Gill and Coach Schmidt led Rusty’s 1989 Wheelersburg HS team to a perfect 14-0 record and a state championship. These men were highly influential in Rusty’s life, and his love for youth sports were a result of their investment in him. In his brother’s own words, “Rusty loved, loved, loved pee wee football and coaching youth sports. He was always smiling, was serious about nothing and nearly everything was a joke. But if you messed with someone he loved, you were in trouble.”
Although Rusty faced many challenges as an adult, we choose to focus on the love, joy, and laughter he created for those who knew him. Rusty was in a good place when he transitioned to his heavenly home, and for that we are thankful. The words below are from a favorite song Rusty sang as a child.
Jesus, I heard you had a big house,
Where I could have a room of my own.
And Jesus, I heard you had a big yard,
Big enough to let a kid roam.
I heard you had clothes in your closet,
Just the right size that I wear,
And Jesus, I heard if I give you my heart,
Then you would let me go there.
Jesus, I heard about mealtime,
When all your children come to eat,
I heard you got a great big table
Where every kid can have his own seat.
Jesus, they said there will be plenty
Of good things for children to share,
And Jesus, I’d just like to tell you
I sure would like to go there.
Jesus, I heard that in your big house
There’s plenty of love to go ’round.
I heard there’s always singing and laughter
To fill the place with happy sounds.
And I’ve been thinking that a friend
Who would give me all that he’s got
Before I had even met him
Well, he sure must love me a lot.
And Jesus, I’d just want to tell you,
I sure do love you a lot!
Jesus, we just want to tell you,
We sure do love you a lot!
Funeral services will be held on Friday, December 17 at 11:00 a.m. at D. W. Swick Funeral Home in Wheelersburg with interment at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Pastor Joe Van Meter will be officiating the funeral services. Friends may call from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating In Memory of Rusty Blankenship, Wheelersburg Athletic Association, P.O. Box 17, Wheelersburg, OH 45694.