Elton Robert Rushlau II

Elton Rushlau II was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. His interests were vast and varied leaving him with a wealth of knowledge and a life lived to the fullest. There truly was no better testimony of his love for his wife, Mary than her final three years in the nursing home. Elton spent each and every day with her and ensured that she had the very best of care. Theirs was a deep and strong connected love for one another. Elton was a quiet man with a compassionate heart for others. There wasn’t anything he wouldn’t do for a friend or family member in need. He leaves behind many years of happy memories and laughter to be cherished by all who knew and loved him.

With the economy still suffering as a result of the Great Depression, and the promise of a newly elected president who pledged to make American lives better, Elton I & Marguerite Rushlau welcomed home their newborn son, Elton Robert on November 2, 1934, in Detroit, Michigan. Born an only child, his birth brought much promise into an era of tough economic times.

Growing up in various places around the greater Detroit area, Elton was a curious boy with a sense of natural wonder about the world around him. Not one to like school much, he’d rather spend his time tinkering with appliances. Known to spend hours taking things apart just to see how they worked or challenging himself to put them back together, Elton was content working with his hands. Unfortunately, his passion for taking apart refrigerators, led to his Uncle’s foot getting smashed by one of its doors! There was never a dull moment with Elton and he was no stranger to mischief. During these formative years, he treasured spending time with his two cousins, Joy and Mary. Elton also shared many hunting seasons up in Northern Michigan with his dad at the Clam River Club. He liked nothing more than spending time outdoors and being in the woods. Proudly graduating from River Rouge High School, Elton enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. He served as an Engine Mechanic before settling at the University of Detroit to study Accounting.

By then, his mother was working at JL Hudson and had met just the girl for her son, Elton! She was delighted to introduce the two of them. She must’ve known what qualities in a woman Elton would aspire to as he and Mary seemed to hit it off and the rest was history! Married in 1963, they raised four wonderful children together. As a father, he was always even keeled and a good listener. He wanted nothing more than for each of his children to succeed and find their own special happiness in life. A good provider, he spent many years working as an accountant for various companies before he retired from the City of Detroit in 2006.

Retirement afforded he and Mary the time they needed to develop their own special interests. They started out with Swing dancing lessons as well as traveling. Mostly they went on numerous trips with Mary’s brother, Al and his wife Elaine. A memorable trip was when he and Mary were able to visit Rome and tour the Holy sites. Elton was a voracious reader and in addition to his recent interest in the author, Colleen McCullough, he loved to read about ancient Rome, so the trip fulfilled a lifelong dream of his! They marveled at so many of the places he had read about and were elated to be able to walk the city taking in the vast historical sites. Elton was also a long-time member of the Navy League and the Detroit Institute of Arts. He and Mary used both locations for socializing and looked forward to attending many area events over the years. In addition to the visual arts, Elton loved both classical and jazz music. He had an ear for the aesthetics of talented musicians and shared this pastime with Mary as well. A lifelong resident of the Detroit area, it was no surprise that he was a loyal fan of both the Tigers and the Red Wings. Win or lose, he remained steadfast in his love of both sports. A fan of HGTV, he stayed up on all the latest home fashions and could easily join in conversation about the latest trends.

Above all else, Elton was a family man. Nearly after the wrapping up of one holiday, he’d already be asking about the preparations for the next one. Nothing brought him greater joy than gathering his loved ones together where he was known to sit for hours soaking in the conversations and watching his growing family interact together. He also loved to attend the various events of each of his grandchildren, which was no easy task! With ten of them in all, he had plenty of memories at their sporting events, musical performances, school plays, and award ceremonies! His heart was delighted to celebrate their many accomplishments. A devout Catholic and man of his word, Elton’s rich legacy of being generous and kind beyond measure will be fondly remembered for generations to come.

Elton Robert Rushlau II, age 82, passed away August 2, 2017. He is survived by his three sons, Elton R II (Derinda), Joseph J (Susie) and Matthew G (Jennifer) and daughter, Anna M (Carl) Pfeifer, his ten grandchildren; Nathan, Andrew and Megara Pfeifer, Kristina, Jessica and Megan Rushlau, Gabrielle and George Rushlau, Elton IV, and Ryan Vinson. He was preceded in death by his parents and his loving wife, Mary. Family will receive friends Monday from 2-9 pm with a 7 pm Rosary at Neely-Turowski Funeral Home 30200 Five Mile (Between Middlebelt and Merriman). Funeral Mass will be held Tuesday 10:30 am, in state 10:00 am, at Our Lady of Loretto (25700 Six Mile Rd., Redford). Interment at Mt. Olivet Cemetery. To sign the online guestbook please visit www.TurowskiFuneralHome.com