Ronald " Rusty " Wakefield Funeral
Donation protected
Ronald Roy Wakefield passed away early morning Monday, April 23, 2018 at the age of 52. Friends and family knew him as Rusty, a name given to him for his bright red hair. He leaves his wife Jennifer of 25 years, 3 children: Samantha 21, Ronald 17 and Sabrina 15, as well as his 1 year old grandson Oliver, mother Gayle, brother Mark and sister Mary.
Rusty was diagnosed with Lymphoma in October 2017, just 5 years after his father, Ronald, lost his battle with cancer. We were assured that lymphoma is one of the easiest to treat and we should expect great results in six months. About four months of chemo his lymph nodes had returned to normal size and his enlarged spleen was returning to its normal size. He had one more treatment scheduled and he would be done with chemo. Before he could receive the last treatment, he became weak and developed a small amount of pneumonia in his lungs. After 5 weeks of waiting they determined that it was not all pneumonia. The lymph nodes in both lungs were enlarged and between the two he was having difficulty breathing. Within a few days he was too weak to get up so Jenny called 911 to have an ambulance take him to the hospital. They determined that on top of the lymphoma and pneumonia, he had picked up the flu and was septic. His body was too weak to fight and we lost him within 3 days. Everyone in the waiting room sat stunned with the knowledge that at this 6 month mark we would be planning a funeral instead of celebrating his remission.
Rusty enjoyed life and was loved by everyone he met. He was shy and quiet but would give you the shirt off his back even if it was his last one. Growing up he enjoyed camping, medal detecting, deer hunting and fishing with his family. He worked hard and was very proud to be an Eagle Scout. He was born in Chico, graduated from Durham High School and lived in the surrounding area his whole life. Following in his father’s footsteps he was a glazier for 34 years. He was thankful to work for Quick’s Glass in Marysville for the last 20 years. He spoke highly of his fellow employees, the president of the company and considered them good friends.
Being the sole provider in the home, the cancer has been a burden financially on the family. It was important to Rusty to support the family so his wife Jenny could stay home with the children. Trying to stay positive he and jenny did not discuss his wishes very often but the one thing that was clear is he did not want to be cremated and he would like to be buried in the same cemetery as his father. The family is financially unable to afford the cost of his burial. The goal that I set will be enough to cover the cost of the funeral home, a headstone, transportation to the cemetery and a small graveside service. Any amount of money collected above the cost will be donated directly to lymphoma research. The family has chosen the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Thank you for your love and support.
One last fun fact about Rusty:
Years ago Rusty was ill and went to the doctor. They thought his heart was enlarged. After a few tests they determined that his heart was larger than the average person, strong and worked just fine. I think his heart said a lot about him. He was strong, hardworking and it needed to be larger to hold all the love he had for his family and friends. He will be missed here on earth but we have comfort knowing that he has been greeted with open arms and love by all those who have passed before him.
Rusty was diagnosed with Lymphoma in October 2017, just 5 years after his father, Ronald, lost his battle with cancer. We were assured that lymphoma is one of the easiest to treat and we should expect great results in six months. About four months of chemo his lymph nodes had returned to normal size and his enlarged spleen was returning to its normal size. He had one more treatment scheduled and he would be done with chemo. Before he could receive the last treatment, he became weak and developed a small amount of pneumonia in his lungs. After 5 weeks of waiting they determined that it was not all pneumonia. The lymph nodes in both lungs were enlarged and between the two he was having difficulty breathing. Within a few days he was too weak to get up so Jenny called 911 to have an ambulance take him to the hospital. They determined that on top of the lymphoma and pneumonia, he had picked up the flu and was septic. His body was too weak to fight and we lost him within 3 days. Everyone in the waiting room sat stunned with the knowledge that at this 6 month mark we would be planning a funeral instead of celebrating his remission.
Rusty enjoyed life and was loved by everyone he met. He was shy and quiet but would give you the shirt off his back even if it was his last one. Growing up he enjoyed camping, medal detecting, deer hunting and fishing with his family. He worked hard and was very proud to be an Eagle Scout. He was born in Chico, graduated from Durham High School and lived in the surrounding area his whole life. Following in his father’s footsteps he was a glazier for 34 years. He was thankful to work for Quick’s Glass in Marysville for the last 20 years. He spoke highly of his fellow employees, the president of the company and considered them good friends.
Being the sole provider in the home, the cancer has been a burden financially on the family. It was important to Rusty to support the family so his wife Jenny could stay home with the children. Trying to stay positive he and jenny did not discuss his wishes very often but the one thing that was clear is he did not want to be cremated and he would like to be buried in the same cemetery as his father. The family is financially unable to afford the cost of his burial. The goal that I set will be enough to cover the cost of the funeral home, a headstone, transportation to the cemetery and a small graveside service. Any amount of money collected above the cost will be donated directly to lymphoma research. The family has chosen the Lymphoma Research Foundation. Thank you for your love and support.
One last fun fact about Rusty:
Years ago Rusty was ill and went to the doctor. They thought his heart was enlarged. After a few tests they determined that his heart was larger than the average person, strong and worked just fine. I think his heart said a lot about him. He was strong, hardworking and it needed to be larger to hold all the love he had for his family and friends. He will be missed here on earth but we have comfort knowing that he has been greeted with open arms and love by all those who have passed before him.
Organizer
Mary Whiting
Organizer
Yuba City, CA