Joseph L. "Joe" Rustin

Surrounded by his family, Joe, age 80 of Abbeville, passed away peacefully at his home on January 17, 2020.Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM Monday, January 20, 2020 at Siloam Baptist Church.Reverend Tommy Baker, Reverend Joey Boney and Reverend David Fisher will officiate.Visitation will be from 12:30-2:00 PM prior to the service in the church.Interment will be in the Stubbs Cemetery in Abbeville. Joe was born to Joseph Franklin and Madge Hudson Rustin on February 5, 1939 in Chipley, Florida.Following his graduation from Chipley High School in 1957, he earned his certification from Nashville Auto Diesel College in Nashville, Tennessee.In October of 1958, Mr. Rustin enlisted in the United States Army where he served in the 101st Airborne Division as a Military Policeman. After being honorably discharged from the army in 1964, Joe relocated to Melbourne, Florida, where he worked for Western Union Telegraph Company, obtained a private pilot’s license, and attended night classes at Brevard Junior College.While attending First Baptist Church in Melbourne, he met and married his wife of fifty-two years, Charlotte Fisher Rustin of Abbeville, Ga. After graduation from the University of Florida in 1972 with an Electrical Engineering Degree, Joe was employed with Southern Bell Telephone Company in Jacksonville, Florida.In 1980, he and his family moved to Abbeville, and he continued his employment with Southern Bell in Albany where he worked until his retirement in 2001. Joe was a faithful member of Siloam Baptist church where he held many positions and currently served as deacon.He served as treasurer of the Wilcox County Library and asa member of the Wilcox County Arts Council for many years. Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his brothers J. T. Rustin, Bernard Rustin, Ronal Rustin and sisters Virginia McDaniel and Zelma Waymire all of Chipley, Florida. He was a devoted husband, a loving father and a proud grandfather.He will be greatly missed by his wife, Charlotte, his children, Will (Heather) Rustin of Barnesville and Leigh Ann (David) Walden of Soperton and his grandchildren, Claire Walden, Addie Walden, Ava Grace Rustin, and Audrey Rustin.Also left to cherish his memory are his brother, Kenneth (Mary Nell) Rustin of Chipley, and his sisters Clara (Ray) Estes of Chipley, and Dot Williams of Port St. Joe, Florida. The family requests that donations be made to the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering, checks payable to IMB, 3806 Monument Avenue, Richmond, VA 23230.In memo line put F9LMCO. Frazier and Son Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Please sign our online registry at www.fraziersonfuneralhome.com