Roger "Rusty" J. Artlip

Roger John Artlip "Rusty", 86, of Traverse City passed away peacefully October 18, 2018 at Medilodge Nursing Home due to complications from Parkinson’s. Rusty was born to Claude and Mildred (Passmore) Artlip on June 11, 1932 in Grand Rapids. As a child he was very ambitious selling daily newspapers on the street corners of Grand Rapids. He started his own business "Rusty's Service Co." doing brick and cement contracting and installing radio towers. He was a car salesman for many years for Oldsmobile and Ford winning many honors for top sales. One of Rusty's greatest joys was playing Santa Claus every Christmas for the DeVos Children’s Hospital. He was also a long distance truck driver and tour bus driver; driving all over the U.S. and Canada. After moving to Traverse City he worked for Mariage Roofing and Horizon Video. He joined the Grand Traverse Sheriff Reserves and did drug testing for them until it was outsourced. Rusty was a member of Christ The King Catholic Church and was a fourth degree Knight with the Knights of Columbus. Rusty was preceded in death by his parents, son Roger (Marie) Artlip Jr., sisters Sarah (Herb) Snyder, Lillian (Ken) Engelbritson and brother Claude (Gresalda) Artlip. Rusty is survived by his wife Mary; daughters Theresa (Alan) Woods and Alicia (Dave) Huzinga; step sons Randall (Pattie) Hendges, David (Valerie) Hendges and Greg Hendges; brothers Robert (Diane) Artlip, twin Richard (Becky) Artlip, Bernard (Ila) Artlip, George (Juanita) Artlip; sisters Judith (Ken) Benoit, Mary Ann (Whitney) Wu and Carolyn Francis French; grandchildren JoAnna (Michael) LeMay, Liz Phillips, Kristina Woods, Charles Henry (Katie) Jr., Sarah Foster, and Richelle (Nick) Johnson; step grandchildren Jeremy (Erin) Hendges, Jason (Crista) Hendges, Tanya Hendges, Justin (Hannah) Hendges and Tiffany (Ben) Reece; 11 great and step great grandchildren. The memorial mass will be held at 11:00 am with visitation beginning one hour prior on Tuesday October 23, 2018 at Christ The King Catholic Church. Father Ray Cotter will officiate. Interment will take place at a later date at St. Aloysius Cemetery in Fife Lake. Memorial contributions may be directed to Christ The King or to Medilodge. The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Medilodge for the loving care Rusty received. Please share your condolences and memories with the family at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com The family is being served by the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home and Cremation Services.

Roger "Rusty" J. Artlip

June 11, 1932 - October 18, 2018