Rufus Lund

George “Rufus” Hubble Lund died peacefully at home with his family in Lakebay on the autumnal equinox, Sept. 22, 2022.

As an avid book collector and archivist, Rufus would make certain the record included all historical markers of his 76 years — from his birth in Tacoma in 1946 to his marriage to Barbara Pernoud Lund in 1980 and the birth of his daughter, Lydia, in 1990. For the sake of completeness, Rufus would also point to his academic records at Holy Cross School, L’institut Stanislas de Cannes, Bellarmine Preparatory, the University of Washington and University of Texas.

Rufus’ collected papers reveal a career of enormous capacity for learning and a nearly encyclopedic memory. After earning his undergraduate degree, Rufus joined the Defense Language Institute Support Command at Fort Bliss, Texas, where he went through rigorous language training before shipping off to Vietnam with a small group of comrades who became dear friends. Upon his return to the U.S., he managed a division of his father’s die-casting business, Puget Corporation, and then pursued a master’s degree in library science from the University of Texas at Austin. As an archivist, he went on to work at the Harry Ransom Center and the Rhode Island Historical Society. In between, his friends welcomed his skills as a greenhouse grower, carpenter and tool designer.

But it is the rich secondary sources that affirm Rufus’ history. His life-long love of a good story and genealogical research was honed at the family dinner table of his late mother, Elizabeth “Betty” Greig. He learned the restorative powers of a saltwater swim from his late father, George Andrew Lund. His love for his wife was evident in every sketch of hers he saved over the years of their life together moving from Austin to Guemes Island to Maui. He cared deeply for his daughter’s happiness. He shared his devotion to South Head with his brother, sisters, cousins, nieces and nephews. His friends will tell you what books connected them and that no one baked a more sublime apple pie. Strangers will remember his kind heart.

A memorial service to celebrate Rufus will be held in summer 2023. Contributions in his memory may be made to Key Peninsula Community Services.