Edward Clayton Rushton, 90, passed peacefully on March 1, 2026.

Born January 19, 1936, in Oakland, Maine, to Irma (Doten) and Clayton Royden Rushton, Ed enjoyed a free‑spirited childhood—skating on Messalonskee Stream, playing sandlot baseball, exploring the woods, and being a big brother to Donald. During one of those fateful explorations (while not listening to his mother) Ed fell from an embankment landing in a tree, breaking his back. This, however, did not stop him from further explorations.

He attended Hebron Academy, where he played football, hockey, and baseball, graduating in 1954. He went on to his beloved Colby College where he played hockey, made lifelong friends, and served as president of Zeta Psi. He graduated in 1958, majoring in business administration with minors in English and Mathematics.

Ed’s lifelong interest in understanding people led him through careers in teaching and entrepreneurship, and ultimately to more than 30 years as a licensed substance abuse counselor with United Way. He was a kind and gentle soul beneath a sometimes-rough exterior. An important theme in his life was to understand issues. He became very skilled in listening and interpreting conversations in order to get at the root of any matter. He was sharp, witty, a voracious reader, and a man of high IQ. In retirement, he enjoyed golf, duplicate bridge, tennis, spectator sports, and math and word puzzles.

He married Marjorie Rancourt in 1961. They welcomed their twin sons Peter and Christopher in 1962. Marjorie passed away in 1970. He later met Joyce Tracy and her daughter Jessey. Upon confirming that Joyce was indeed a good cook and housekeeper they married and blended their families. She kept up her end of the bargain. They moved to the Tracy property on Messalonskee Lake and were partners and best of friends for 54 years. They moved to Waterville in 2017. They quickly befriended many neighbors, yet remained independent under the watchful eyes of very special friends John & Sheila Lachance and their dog Suzie.

Ed was predeceased by his parents and his first wife, Marjorie. He is survived by his wife Joyce; brother Donald and wife Nancy, and their children Sara and Erik; son Peter (wife Bethany Scherpf); son Christopher (wife Peggy), and their children Kaylee and Lucas (partner Mia Emery); daughter Jessey Manson (husband Parrish), and their children Johanna Hutchison (husband Dan) and Parrish Manson (wife Shannon). Great‑grandchildren include Charlotte Manson and Josephine and Eleanor Hutchison. He is also survived by many friends, including his bridge group.

The family would like to share our deepest appreciation to the wonderful and compassionate staff at MaineGeneral Gray Birch Rehabilitation and Long Term Care in Augusta. The care given to Edward and Joyce was truly exceptional. Ed was a courageous man who embraced the palliative care approach to remain comfortable. In one of his last conversations he philosophically exclaimed “C’est la vie.”

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, March 21, 2025, at the Colby Alumni Center in Waterville, ME. Visiting hours will be 9–11 AM. A memorial service will begin at 11 AM followed by a light lunch. Family and friends are encouraged to share their memories and stories about Ed throughout the day.

Interment will be scheduled at a later date.

One of Ed’s joys was to have lunch with the boys at Olive Garden on a monthly basis. In that spirit and in lieu of flowers, we encourage you to establish a tradition and take a loved one to lunch.