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Ruston Holloway Spencer, 50, Iowa City
Obituaries · July 31, 2014



Ruston Holloway Spencer, 50, died Tuesday, July 22, 2014, in his sleep.

A celebration of life was Saturday, July 26, 2014, at the West Branch United Methodist Church. Visitation was Friday at the Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Branch. Burial was in the West Branch Cemetery. Online condolences may be made to the family at www.hendersonbarkerfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made in Ruston’s memory to the West Branch United Methodist Church or NAMI.

Ruston was born Feb. 26, 1964, in Mason City, Iowa, the son of Edward and Beverly Van Duzer Spencer. He was a graduate of West Branch High School in the Class of 1982, attended Iowa State University, and was a graduate of Hawkeye Technical Institute in Waterloo with an Associate of Arts degree in photography. He most recently had been attending Kirkwood Community College studying in the Radiology Tech program.

He was a freelance photographer for 24 years, working in Boston, Chicago, Miami, Los Angeles and the local area. Ruston loved storytelling, and family and friends agree that Ruston had a book waiting to be written. He was a perfectionist and was well-respected for his knowledge and abilities in the areas of lighting and photography composition. He was an accomplished chef, enjoyed fishing with his friends, and playing polo with his family. Ruston was very compassionate to the less fortunate and helped feed the hungry in Iowa City.

He is survived by his parents; two sisters: Kammy (James) Simonton of Columbus, Ind., and Wendy (Greg) Fowler of West Branch; a brother, Nathan Spencer of Arvada, Colo.; eight nieces and nephews: Rachel, Hannah, Levi, Micah, Brittany, Braden, Luc and Jake.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, and beloved dog Ajax.