Lorene M. Rushton

Mass of Christian Burial for Lorene M. Rushton will be celebrated at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 25, 2026 at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Cle Elum with burial to follow at Roslyn Memorial Gardens. A reception will follow the burial at the Cle Elum Senior Center. Viewing will be from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. Thursday, September 24 at Johnston & Williams Funeral Home in Cle Elum, with the Rosary to be prayed at 7:00 p.m. that evening also at the funeral home. Mrs. Rushton, 93, a lifetime Upper County resident and the 2024 Pioneer Days Queen, passed away on Thursday, September 17, 2026 in Yakima following a brief illness.

Lorene was born on September 1, 1933 in Cle Elum, Washington to Charles & Alice (Carollo) Pasquan. She grew up in Cle Elum and graduated from Cle Elum High School in 1951, followed by one year at the Central Washington College of Education (now CWU).

Lorene married Leonard Rushton on December 26, 1953 and they made their home in Roslyn while raising their three children - Larry, Lyle and Lois. Lorene worked seasonally at Russell’s Mink Ranch and for Twin City Foods, before spending most of her career as a librarian and secretary at the elementary, junior high and high school. She retired from the school district in the mid 1990’s.

Lorene enjoyed camping, crocheting, knitting, making jam and especially loved spending time with her family. She was very talented in the kitchen and she would bake an immense amount of cookies to give away to family, friends, neighbors and others in the community throughout the year. Her family will fondly remember her pigs in a blanket, mock chicken legs, chicken and dumplings and her recipe for spaghetti sauce and chicken.

In 2024, Lorene was selected as the Pioneer Days Queen, an honor that she was truly humbled by. She enjoyed all the duties of being the Queen, including her coronation, the parade and getting to visit with people at different events.

Lorene is survived by her husband, Leonard Rushton; children Larry (Julie) Rushton, Lyle (JoAnn) Rushton and Lois (Carl) Nash; six grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren; siblings Julie Breznikar, Linda Pumala and Chuck Pasquan; as well as a large extended family of nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions in Lorene’s honor are suggested to either of the Catholic parishes she loved so much - St. John’s in Cle Elum or Immaculate Conception in Roslyn.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Johnston & Williams of Cle Elum.