Tony L. Rustad

Anthony “Tony” Lane Rustad, 75, passed away at home on Thursday, October 29, 2026 with his wife and children at his side.

Tony was born on January 8, 1951, in Hallock, MN to Alfred and Patricia (Carrigan) Rustad. He grew up and attended school in Humboldt, MN, graduating with the Class of 1969. After graduation he attended the University of North Dakota where he received a master’s degree in Speech and Communications. Tony met his wife, Alana Thompson, in the fall of 1975. They were married two years later on August 6, 1977. They enjoyed 49 years together, making their home and raising their family in Grand Forks.

The central focus of Tony’s life was his personal relationship with Jesus Christ, which influenced the way he lived and treated others. Through sharing his personal testimony, he built many lasting friendships. Countless people were blessed by his kindness and generosity. He was content to have less so that he could give more. Tony worked at Rydell Chevrolet in Grand Forks for over 30 years, where he won numerous awards and was consistently at the top of their sales force. Through hard work and honesty, he built lasting relationships with his customers. He was honored to win the Salesman of the Month award many times. When that award was discontinued, coworkers teased him that it was because he always won it anyway.

After years in the car business, Tony made a career change and began working for Pathfinder in Thief River Falls, MN. In that role, he visited homes and worked with individuals and families facing difficult circumstances. After driving back and forth to Thief River for 11 years, he decided to stay closer to home and began working part time at Douglas Place, a residential treatment facility in East Grand Forks. He also worked part time with an individual in a REM group home. Helping others came naturally for Tony, and he enjoyed guiding and encouraging others as they worked to grow and become successful.

Tony had fond memories of walking the fields with his dad when he was a child, hunting for arrowheads and other unexpected finds. He also enjoyed bow hunting and driving his Honda 90 along the country roads. Later in life, he enjoyed tending his small garden or puttering in the basement. Most recently he and Alana enjoyed feeding and watching the birds in their back yard. He made a great pot of chili, and everyone loved his caramel popcorn balls and Dutch pancakes.

Tony is survived by his wife, Alana; sons: Mark (Jennifer), Grand Forks; Nathan (Ariel), Eden Prairie, MN, and James (Kaitlyn), Grand Forks; grandchildren: Roman, Layla, Ashlynn, Danielle, Avajoy, Destiny, James, Jr., Maverick, Megan (Carter), Ryan, Natalie and Stephanie; great grandchildren, Oliver and Riley.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law,Jim Moris, Jr.

A Memorial Service will be held at Grace Baptist Church on Thursday, November 5, 2026, beginning at 11:00am. Visitation will take place one hour prior to the service at the church.