Rally for Rusty Hilst

12/29/2025

Remembering Rusty on his 83rd Birthday (in heaven).

Many of you probably remember Rusty "retiring" from 50 years of broadcasting in 2019 and and the great article and pictures that appeared in The Hutchinson News. Rusty was gifted a fantastic wooden plaque displaying the featured article (along with a "Thank you for your 50 years of play by plays" inscription) which he displayed in his fireplace room. It now graces the wall of my office and serves as a lovely reminder of him and the many many hours I spent listening to and enjoying his broadcasts. If you want to read the article it is still available at https://www.hutchnews.com/story/news/local/2019/03/03/goodnight-everybody-50-year-voice-of-salthawk-sports-signs-off/5771190007/

The computer monitor in my office shows a slide show of favorite personal pictures. I always smile when I see the photo of Rusty at Prairie Dunes with some of the people that meant so much to him. It was my great privilege to get to know these unbelievably caring and compassionate friends and to come to understand why he loved them so.

Rusty's legacy (and Banana Man, his golf books and golf hats, etc) is an inspiration to his great nephews, who will hopefully find similar joy in playing the game of golf. Rusty loved kids and dedicated his life to teaching them "life lessons" (as well as calculus and golf). He is remembered by me, and many others - today and every day.

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas to Rusty's multitude of family and friends!
Thanks for your love and support this past year.
Cheers from Rusty!

12/04/2025

(Photo courtesy The Medicine Shoppe) MARC JACOBSHutch Post The Me

12/02/2025

The Medicine Shoppe Is honoring Rusty with their new vehicle wrap on their delivery jeep. Rusty was both a long time customer and supporter in the broadcast booth. He even taught the owners daughter and now store pharmacist while at HHS. Thank you Medicine Shoppe for remembering Rusty.

09/13/2025

Video from Friday's Broadcast Booth dedication in Rusty's Honor.

09/13/2025

Broadcast Booth at Gowans Stadium Dedicated in Rusty's Honor

A couple of photos from the dedication, including Rusty's brother, Kent, and nieces and nephews Kinsley Riggs, Cody Riggs, Meg Hilst and HHS girls basketball coach Kalen Hilst with the plaque honoring Rusty's broadcasting career.

Read more about dedication at the Hutch Post https://hutchpost.com/posts/1a1a5d6d-482d-4d85-ba8a-87653808189f

09/12/2025

Just a quick update - Rusty's house has a pending contract with a closing date in October. We hope the new owner(s) love the home, yard, fish, and neighborhood as much as Rusty did! Also, today (Friday, Sept 12, 2025) at noon the broadcast booth at Gowan's Stadium in being dedicated to Rusty and named for him. I know Rusty would have been so humbled and proud!

Send a message to learn more

08/29/2025

Rusty's house is now on the market. Please share with anyone you know who might be interested and reach out to your realtor for a showing.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/16uLY6HNCS/

This 1675 square feet Single Family home has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It is located at 59 Meadowlark Ln, Hutchinson, KS.

08/12/2025

RUSTY'S ESTATE SALE THIS WEEKEND!

Stop by Rusty's house (59 Meadowlark Ln) this Friday, August 15th (2-6 PM) and Saturday, August 16th (9 AM-1 PM) for Rusty's Estate Sale. Golf lovers paradise! Many one of a kind items and collectables. Furniture, books, golf clubs, housewares, and clothes. Treasures you're unlikely to find anywhere else.

See more pictures at the Epic Estate Sales listing https://www.estatesales.net/KS/Hutchinson/67502/4606437?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwMIUT1jbGNrAwhRNmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEeik7PrcPI6vzjzR4k7PuuaCuO4oJ_3kF_yGxXWWqM5wR0HT27twt1TzhqZqQ_aem_uT1PrvIiLmTkXV9WS65QFw

07/21/2025

Epic Estate Sales will be conducting an estate sale at Rusty's home at 59 Meadowlark Lane (Hutchinson, KS) on Friday and Saturday, August 15-16. Hope to see you there!

Send a message to learn more

07/14/2025

We are investigating how best to sell Rusty’s furniture and other personal items. When we make a decision we will post a notice with details to this Rally for Rusty Hilst page. Please check back if interested!

We also expect Rusty's home to be on the market soon. If you know someone who might be interested, please pass it along.

07/07/2025

Update
The time has come...

Two and a half years have passed since Rusty was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease, leading to the creation of this page. Its mission? To support Rusty as he battled this awful disease.

Rally for Rusty Hilst succeeded in doing that. Spectacularly! It enabled Rusty to remain relevant and engaged, doing what he most loved -- teaching. It infused him with purpose and gave him voice, quite independent of failing vocal chords. He had only to come here of a Monday morning to know that he still mattered. Because you showed up, and you cared.

With Rusty's death, the time has come to celebrate what you have accomplished. And to close that chapter. This, then, will be my last Monday morning update.

I will miss you and these weekly gatherings. But I will still be around, first reading your comments, and after that, reachable by email: linley@gmail.com. I would love to hear from you.

Rusty was all about finding joy in life. And driving this search? That would be a powerful emotional force which is often overlooked, or dismissed as wishful thinking -- hope. I'd like to wrap up by giving hope its due.

A recent study done at the University of Missouri, involving more than 2,300 participants from different backgrounds, explored a wide range of positive emotions – amusement, excitement, contentment, happiness. Of them all, one emotion stood out in importance. Only hope consistently predicted a stronger sense of meaning in life. Hope infused life with depth, purpose, and direction.

Best of all, the researchers suggested, such hope can be cultivated. Simple, practical habits, such as noticing the good moments – even something as small as a kind gesture or a peaceful morning – can make a difference, reminding us that things can go right.

Hope helps us move through tough times, not by pretending things are perfect, but by allowing us to imagine that things could improve. Rusty never lost that sense of possibility, even when things appeared most bleak. As the losses to ALS mounted, he continued to find hope in nature's beauty and the companionship of friends.

It's easy to dismiss hope as just a feel-good emotion. But it’s something we need to live well. And it’s something we can practice every day. I can hear Rusty encouraging us to do just that.
Sandra (sister)

Send a message to learn more