Celebration Of Rusty Gates Life

[bdesavage]

Well,
I've been "Pondering" on how to write about this past Sunday in Grayling on The AuSable at Gates.
I'm not the best "Wordsmith" at the best of time's so if this seem's somewhat rambling Please bear with Me.
It was Raining hard pretty much all day so I didn't get very many pictures I have some that I will post the link to.
There were I would guess pretty close to 500 people there they had 2(I think) school buses shuttling people to Gates from down the road where You could park and people were parked on both sides of Stephans Bridge Road for about 1/2 mile each side of the AuSable 3 sherrif cars to manage traffic, I dont remember how many speaker's there were the Day was full of Sadness and Chuckles. Rusty's Wife Julie spoke a bit and his Sister Gina and several friend's, the most "Telling" comment I remember was when one of Rusty's friends said if Rusty was to show up He would want to know Why We all were there instead of on the water.
Deb(Mato Kuwapi) and Bill Freele were there maybe Deb can add more details to this.

http://s275.photobucket.com/albums/j...0April%202010/

[Midwest Custom Fly Rods]

Thanks for the pics Bill, I hope Deb add's some. I wanted to go myself but other things stood in the way from me getting up there last weekend. Rusty was one of those guys that once you meet him you never forgot it. He did a lot for the Au Sable and his tireless work is appreciated by all of us who fish it and call it home. He will certainly be missed that's for sure. I'm really glad to see that 500+ people showed up, shows just how much people loved ol' Calvin.

Steve

[Mato Kuwapi]

Sorry Steve, I didn't take photos. I was kept busy greeting folks then was packed in like a sardine for the memorial. I do have a link however to some wonderful photos take by Dale Young of the Detroit News.
http://multimedia.detnews.com/pix/ph...ial/index.html

For me it was bitter sweet. I reflected on how lucky I was to have been able to get to know Rusty in the past few short years. I started going up there shortly after I read "Season on the Au Sable", back in the spring of 2007. I hadn't been up there since the early 70's. Rusty's words brought me back with new eyes and I fell in love with the river. Last year I spent over ten weeks up there. I spent a lot of time in the shop, too. I thought about the time he had offered a stay at the Frog Pond when he saw I wasn't well the year before he fell ill. I really regret not taking him up on it. I'm glad for the chin wags over the past few years.
It was hard being on the river this past weekend. It was my first time up since October. Rusty was on my mind constantly while I was wading those waters, watching the fish rise. I felt a big hole in my heart knowing he wasn't in the shop to share the days adventures with...but it is also comforting to know that Josh, Lance, Karen and the rest of the old familiar faces are still there. So it was like going home but Rusty is certainly missed. I'm glad I want up for the memorial.