The Newspaper of Record since 1878
Jamie Leandra (Rusti) Bixby passed away in Tonto Basin, Arizona on June 10, 2023.
She was born in Globe, Arizona on Oct. 2, 1973. As a child, Rusti lived at the Bixby Ranch in Wheatfields. She was active in 4-H raising steers, played basketball and was the bass drummer in the marching band. During her teenage years Rusti moved with her parents to Pinetop, Arizona, where she graduated high school. Rusti spent most of her adult life in New York City. She loved living in the city but moved back to Arizona, with her precious dog Benny, to take care of her aging parents in 2018. Her devotion to them was endless.
Rusti was honest, deeply hardworking, had a killer sense of humor and was always eager to help others. Her presence made everything more fun and full of life. She could play a wicked game of pool and never went to bed without moisturizing. Rusti believed in good manners and had an innate sense of justice. She was an animal lover, devoted to her pets and a vegan since her twenties. Her energy was magnetic and her love generous. Rusti was a force of nature, a person of mythic proportions. Her loss is deeply felt by those who knew and loved her.
Rusti was preceded in death by her parents Stephen L. Bixby, Jr. and Dorothy Bixby.
She is survived by her half-sisters Debbie Alred, Monica Williams, Kelli Bixby Bays, Stephanie Bixby Lynam and Linda Bixby. She is also survived by six aunts, 12 nieces and nephews, eight cousins, and dear friends from high school and New York.
Memorial services to be determined later.
