Geana Stevens Rust

Geana Marie Stevens Rust, 63, passed away on March 4, 2024 at her home in Central, Louisiana after a courageous 4-year battle with metastatic breast cancer.  

Family and friends are invited to a funeral visitation on Friday, March 15, 6:00PM to 8:00PM at Cornerstone Fellowship Church, 9611 Blackwater Road, Baker, LA 70714.

Visitation will continue on Saturday, March 16, 2024 from 2:30PM until 3:30PM with religious services at 3:30PM.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Baton Rouge Hospice.

Geana Marie Stevens was born on April 1, 1960 to Gloria and Prentiss Stevens in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She met Christopher Rust in 1975 while in high school, however lost touch when Chris left Slidell High shortly after that. Chris and Geana would meet again on St Charles Avenue on Mardi Gras day, 1979, and shortly thereafter Geana would tell a friend that she was “going to marry that guy”. In May, 1981, she did just that. Geana and Chris were married for nearly 43 years at the time of her death. She gave birth to 5 beautiful children in this marriage, and she loved them with all her heart. Geana home schooled all 5 children until high school during a time in which the idea of home schooling was not well received by many. She didn’t care. She was certain that it was right for her kids. She started and successfully operated several businesses as expressions of her artistic passion and care for others and served as Chris’s advisor and inspiration in the engineering company that they owned together. Geana wasn’t an engineer but she carried wonderful insight and authority in prayer and was uniquely able to pray Chris through the toughest problems and crisis. Time and again he would ask her to pray because he saw no options available to solve the present problem. Geana would pray and suddenly the clouds of complexity and confusion would clear and he knew that God had spoken. Problem solved. Geana was a gifted and prolific artist her entire life, working in a multitude of expressions, many times simultaneously. She filled her home with artistic beauty that tells the story of God’s goodness and faithfulness. Her work is a constant reminder of her love for God to those that were blessed by her presence in their lives.

Geana is survived by her loving husband of 43 years, Chris, and 5 children, Carleigh (William Lugaila) Leach of Highlands Ranch, CO; Nathan (Amanda) Rust of Baton Rouge, LA; Elena (Drew) Marquez of Baton Rouge, LA; Matthew Rust of Baton Rouge, LA; and Steven Rust of Zachary, LA. She was blessed with the joy of 8 grandchildren, Valerie (Brandon) Leach, Ethan Leach, Natalie Leach, Elijah Rust, Grace Rust, Evie Rust, Graham Marquez, and Corrine Marquez.  She is also survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Steve and Paula Stevens; sister and brother-in-law, Sandee and Bill Meaney; and sister, Lisa Stevens. She was preceded in death by her parents, Prentiss and Gloria Stevens, and her brother, Joseph Stevens.

The family would like to express their sincerest thanks to all of the Physicians, Surgeons, Nurse Practitioners, Physicians Assistants, Nurses, and Nurses Aids that cared for Geana and all of us through this time. They all fought for her. Truly. In particular Dr. William Russel who was a Godly comfort and source of wise counsel. His skill as a physician was a constant. Dr. Chaillie Daniel watched over us carefully, gave wise counsel and skilled medical care. Dr. Sean Accardo stepped in with a skill and confidence that saved her life repeatedly. Dr. Catherine Baucom whose wisdom and skill as a surgeon and healer was timely, lifesaving, and a comfort beyond measure. Dr. Pat Stagg took her as a patient when there appeared to be no hope and with brilliance and great care blessed us all with nearly another year of fruitful life for Geana. Finally, we thank Baton Rouge Hospice. The Physicians, Nurses, and Nurses Aids of this hospice are a truly wonderful group of professionals. The skill and compassion demonstrated through the hardest place carried us to Geana’s destination with loving prayers and grace.