It is with great sadness that the family of Derek William Rust announce his passing on Wednesday, July 21st 2021, at the age of 65, in Ottawa.
Derek will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 37 years, Hilary, daughters Sophie and Philippa, son-in-law Andrei, sisters Linda and Christine and by family, friends and colleagues too numerous to mention.
Derek enjoyed an interesting and varied career with the British Civil Service both abroad and in the UK, culminating in a posting to the British High Commission in 2004, where he continued to work until late last year.
Fortunate enough to visit many wonderful places around the world, he shared his zest for life, travel and adventure with Hilary, his constant companion. Their first journey together was in 1981, when they took the bus from London to Athens.
In recent years, Derek discovered a love of cooking and bread making, which he added to his passion for sport and current affairs. Derek was a music lover, with opera, The Killers and The Rolling Stones among his favourites, enjoying nothing more than a concert or music festival. An avid reader and lover of crosswords, his extraordinary general knowledge made him a formidable opponent in any quiz or trivia game.
A devoted and loving family man, Derek was extremely proud of his daughters and their accomplishments. Always available for support and encouragement, he was a kind, loving and dependable father, who always put his family first. He will also be missed by his football, cricket and rugby loving nephews and godsons and by special friends with whom he enjoyed 'orange food' over a game of ice hockey.
The family extend their thanks to everyone at the Hepatobiliary Unit and the Cancer Centre at the Ottawa General Hospital, who worked tirelessly for Derek.
A private funeral will be held at the Beechwood Cemetery at the family's request and a memorial service will be held at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations made in Derek's name to the Ottawa Hospital Foundation - Hepatology Research, would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be made online at www.ohfoundation.ca , by phone 613 761-4295 or mailed to The Ottawa Foundation, 737 Parkdale Avenue, 1st Floor, Box 610, Ottawa, Ontario K1Y 1J8.
Digital Guestbook
Sherry Rashidan
Christine Williams
All my love to my dear brother
Linda and Mike Tulloch
In loving memory of a dear brother and brother-in-law.
Alyson Bailey
Dearest Hilary, Sophie and Pip. We will greatly miss Derek and cherish the memories of the lovely holidays and get togethers we all had. Much love, Aly, Mark and Sara xxx
Susan Nolan
Rest In Peace.
Randall Germain
I am so grateful that the god of small things arranged life to place Derek and I in the same city at the same time, and our daughters in the same school, and through them for us to meet and become good friends. He has been just such a wonderful light in my life for the past years, with his mischievous sense of humour, his ability to see things as they are, his generous spirit, and his warmth and friendship. I will miss him for a very long time, but I am thankful for the many memories he has left! Rest in peace Derek my friend.
David Reed (UK Deputy High Commissioner)
I was so sorry to hear of Derek's passing. He was a much loved member of the High Commission. He always had a smile and a friendly word for people and made people's days better. Thinking of you at this difficult time.
Oliver Gingell
Derek was a top bloke, a really good laugh and a true gentleman. I fondly recall our chats about hockey in the pub in Montreal and then about rugby (and everything else in between) in later years. The last time I spent time with Derek was at my brother’s wedding, which is how I will be remembering him: witty conversation, plenty of laughs and with Hilary always by his side. Rest In Peace.
Sean Scrivener
I worked with Derek from 2012-2014 and we jokingly, along with our colleagues Phil and Laszlo, called ourselves “the white shirts” given the dress code for the company we worked for at the time. Derek introduced me to the wonders English cuisine but, overall, was a dear friend. He will be sorely missed!
Andrea Colombi
I am so very sorry for your loss. I worked with Derek and The White Shirts. I remember him as a Gentle Giant. My thoughts and prayers to the family.
My heart feels heavy hearing the news. I give my sincerest condolences to the Rust family. You can tell that Derek was a wonderful and generous man simply from the incredible daughters he’s raised and the family he’s loved. I’m praying that the Rust family finds strength and peace during this difficult time. Derek is in a beautiful place, always looking out for his family like an angel. God bless his beautiful soul. ❤️