ERIC WILLIAM RUTKIN's Obituary
Eric William “Rusty” Rutkin, 38, passed away at Stanford Hospital in Palo Alto, CA the night of May 11, 2024, peacefully concluding a relentless war with brain cancer.
Eric was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and raised in nearby Monroe. Following short-lived stints with Pee-wee football and baseball, Eric eventually found his stride in the swimming pool and translated his love of the beach into a successful swimming career that took him through high school.
While at Masuk High School, his artistic sensibilities and theatrical spirit rose to new heights through dedicated participation in the school’s band and world-class choir, even singing in the seasonal music programs and performing at Carnegie Hall.
Post-graduation, Eric went on to Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire where he completed a BA in Design/Technical Theatre, class of 2008, though he initially entered as a Psychology major due to his love of the human mind and desire to help others. At Keene, Eric served in the scene shop Work Study program, in addition to working nearly every production during his tenure.
By his senior year, “Rusty” (as he came to be known and beloved by the Keene theater community) had ascended into the role of Assistant Technical Director, a role that now has to be filled by 2 students but that which Eric singularly bore with pride and passion. Some of Eric’s favorite shows were Urinetown, No Country for Old Men, Mrs. Warren’s Profession and the Annual Evening of Dance productions.
Following a major stroke-like event mere months after graduating, Eric found himself in the position of being unable to pursue his dream career path with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Facing physical therapy and rehabilitation to assist with relearning how to walk and navigating the now constant presence of a Holmes Tremor in his left arm, Eric, undeterred, continued work in Venue and House Management at several theaters before relocating to the Washington D.C. Metro area in October 2011.
The move to Northern Virginia changed Eric’s professional trajectory, as he began working for Home Depot and thus launched into a rewarding career pivot selling and coordinating services for building materials, electrical, lumber and pavers in the landscape and design industry.
Eric’s move to the D.C. Metro area also changed his personal trajectory, as it is where he met his wife Sabrina in November 2011. Following a couple subsequent moves, Eric and Sabrina were engaged in March 2014 and by December 2014 had moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where Sabrina was born and raised. They were married in November 2015.
In the Bay Area, Eric’s career shift kicked into high-gear as he found success with several renowned landscape, design and paving companies first as a coordinator and ascending quickly into Operations Management roles.
Eric valued his work and his work ethic was something he took seriously. In everything Eric did, he sought to bring value, be of use and ultimately to help others through his work.
Most importantly, Eric was also a man who loved without measure, who gave his energies and empathy to every living being he encountered. He hardly knew a stranger and was forever striking up conversations and making new acquaintances. He loved his family, artichoke hearts, his friends, trash-talking The Mets, all things peanut butter & chocolate and his mother-in-law’s little grey dog Annie Joy, and not necessarily in that order.
Eric was earnest, exuberant and leaves behind innumerable loved ones, friends and former colleagues who will always remember his easy smile and the undimmable twinkle in his big blue eyes.
Eric is survived by his wife Sabrina, his mother Liz, sister Abby, brother Sam, nephew Carson, aunt Wendy, uncles Tom & Rich, cousins Maggie & Clare, in-laws Deborah & Lee and numerous other Rutkin’s from coast-to-coast.
He is preceded in death by his father, David Rutkin, his grandparents Jayne Kinzler & Harold Rutkin and Lorraine Bergstrom & John McLaughlin.
Services for Eric will be held in both areas of the country that he called home. Please join Eric’s loved ones, friends and former colleagues at either of the two memorial services being held to honor his much beloved memory:
San Francisco Bay Area -
Friday, May 24, 2024 from 9-10:30am PDT
Chapel of the Chimes
32992 Mission Blvd.
Hayward, CA 94544
Connecticut -
Sunday, June 9, 2024 from 11:30am-1:30pm EDT
Congregation B'nai Israel
2710 Park Ave
Bridgeport, CT 06604-1302
Please contact Sabrina, Liz or Abby directly should you have an interest in contributing in Eric’s name to any of the charities that he and his family have been served by during his lifelong journey with Neurofibromatosis 1 and more recent fight against brain cancer: Neurofibromatosis Northeast, Children’s Tumor Foundation, Cancer Support Community of the San Francisco Bay Area.
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