Reverend Lucinda Olmsted Rust

After a year and a half of declining health, on October 20, 2026, the Reverend Lucinda Olmsted Rust died.  During that time, she received the private and compassionate care of Tricia Ward, NP, the staff of North Star Care at home, Rosewood Manor in Harwich, MA and her Broad Reach Hospice care team. Lisa Sherman, Esq. provided quality professional oversight of her transitions.  Family is grateful to all who provided her the best possible quality of life.
   On June 30, 1952, Lucy was born in Arlington, MA to the Reverend Henry Reynolds (“Rusty”) and Georgia O. Rust, Sr..  After a time living in California, where her brother, Henry Reynolds Rust, Jr., (“Renny”) was born, the family moved back to Massachusetts, settling in Wellesley.  Lucy and Renny were “summer kids” in Chatham, which began Lucy’s love of the Cape.
Lucy attended college and seminary in California. She was an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.  After short stints in California congregations, and then completing an assignment at a church in Wilmington, VT, Lucy returned to the Cape as a year round resident.  She cherished her beloved beach house in The Campground in Harwich Port, which she purchased in the early 1980’s.  She treasured renovating, and residing in, her cottage, especially in the summer. For the past several years, she lived in the Beach Plum Condominium community in Harwich Port.
Throughout her lifetime, she put her hand to many jobs.  While her most enjoyable job was running her own sewing business, Lucid Dreams, out of a rental property where she resided on Main St. in Harwich Port, she also baited fish hooks for a professional fishing operation, delivered the Cape Cod Times to a large group of very grateful customers and, a night owl since birth, she worked the overnight shift at Rosewood Manor as an LNA for 10 years.
Over the years, she had several pet cats and her special canine companion, Lexie.  Fair to say, she likely preferred their company to that of humans but she did have kind and caring neighbors who were good friends to her.  She also had her lifelong friend Dan Eldridge, a Chatham kid, who says they have been friends since before they had drivers’ licenses.  Over the years, and importantly, in the past few years, he showed up for her in more ways than anyone will ever know. She was so very grateful for his care and support.
Lucy loved Cape Cod, especially Chatham and Harwich Port. She and Lexie took long beach walks to soak in the sights, sounds and smells of the beach.  She liked seeing the fishing boats and the fishermen, often enjoying a meal from a fresh catch.  She knew all of the roads, favoring shorts cuts and side roads to avoid the summer slow down on the main roads. She liked the lore and history of the Cape and told it well.  Losing Renny to a car accident, when he was 24, was a heartbreak from which she may have never fully recovered. They are undoubtedly reunited and her hearty laugh and caustic wit will undoubtedly be heard in their world. She will be missed.
Lucy is predeceased by her parents, her brother and her beloved friend, and paternal aunt, Janet.  She is survived by her five maternal cousins, who have nice memories of Cape Cod vacations, hosted by Aunt Georgia, and sometimes Uncle Rusty, where the seven cousins would enjoy Chatham beaches by day and band concerts in the evenings.   
There is no service planned at this time. Please consider contributions in her memory to the animal rescue agency of your choice. To share online condolences and memories with Lucinda’s family, please visit www.chapmanfuneral.com.