Anne Rusoff Obituary

Anne Christine Rusoff died peacefully at her home outside Bozeman on Dec. 9, 2009.

Anne was born on Jan. 30, 1950, in Toledo, Ohio. She and her family moved to Missoula in 1957. As a young girl in Missoula, she found her life-long love for horses.

She graduated from Hellgate High School in Missoula in 1968, and graduated from The University of Montana in 1972. She received a doctorate degree in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology from the University of Colorado in 1977 and completed post-doctorate studies at the University of Michigan from 1978 to 1980.

As a young girl and woman, Anne worked as a trail cook in the Bob Marshall Wilderness area. Those were some of her best years and memories, and she always spoke fondly of the wranglers and other friends she made working in the woods.

Anne taught at Oklahoma State University for several years, then moved to Bozeman in 1985, where she taught neurobiology at Montana State University until her physical disabilities finally forced her retirement in 2006. Anne loved science and research, she loved teaching, she loved counseling students, and she worked to promote educational opportunities for women, including Montana's Native American women, in science and research. After her retirement, she volunteered her time at the college, helping out where she could in her department. She received several awards for mentoring and encouraging young women in science and research.

Anne was blessed with many wonderful friends throughout her life, who she met through her love for horses, through school, through her university work, including her work with Montana's Native American tribes, and through her other many endeavors, and they all added much love and joy to her life. She also found many friends in her students, and she cherished those friendships. After her retirement, she enjoyed tutoring reading to young children and tutoring adult English. In her last year, she found many friends in the other patients and their families at the dialysis unit at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. Her students and other friends were all special to her and she thought of them all as family. They are too numerous to mention them all, but they know who they are.

Anne's adult life often was difficult, and her last years were very hard, but she lived with great courage and dignity, she enjoyed every day as much as she could, and she inspired everyone who knew her. She gave so much to her friends, and received so much in return.

Anne's family and friends are thankful to all of the wonderful medical personnel in Bozeman and Billings who did everything they could for her in her last years. As with her other friends, they are too numerous to mention.

In addition to many friends who preceded her in death, Anne was preceded in death by her beloved mother, Marilyn Rusoff of Missoula; her grandparents, Mable and Clarence Reiling and Anna and Sam Rusoff; aunts and uncles, and other relatives. They all were a big part of Anne's life, and she visited them in person, on the phone, and through letters whenever she could.

Anne is survived by her father, Lester Rusoff, of Missoula; her brother, David Rusoff of Helena; nephews, Daniel Rusoff of Missoula, and John Rusoff of Helena; and out-of-state relatives, including her uncle and aunt Robert and Judy Rusoff, and her cousins Rob Rusoff, Lisa Keck, Donna, Bill, and John Bernbrock, Debbie Avis, Susan Stevens, Cheryl Hill, David and Jim Wiese, and their families.

Cremation has taken place. A memorial gathering will be scheduled in the spring, and a scholarship fund for women interested in pursuing college level science and research will be established later in Anne's name. Notice of the memorial gathering will be published in the Bozeman Chronicle, and anyone wishing to receive personal notice of the memorial gathering or scholarship fund may provide their contact information to Carol Johnson at [email protected], or 1125 Duncan Road, Belgrade, MT 59714.

Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.dahlcares.com.