Valentine (Val) Charles Rush was born July 8, 1949, in Flandreau, SD, the son of John J. and Evelyn M. (Valentine) Rush. He entered the presence of his loving Savior, Jesus Christ, on Sunday, November 6, 2022. Val spent his days on the farm after graduating from St Mary's in Dell Rapids and then Dakota State in Madison. Before he even saw it, God's grace was apparent in his life. On September 10, 1977, he married Teresa (Hessaa) Molskness, and they recently celebrated their 45th anniversary. During their marriage, they had three children, Aaron, Sarah, and Jonathan. Val spent many days planting and harvesting corn and beans. But in 1987, those days came to an end.


Not knowing what would come next, his career moved to the insurance business. But he began sowing seeds other than corn, beans, or insurance. God called him to make the seed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ known. His call to ministry started when attending the Egan United Methodist Church at the age of 43. Several Egan Church ladies asked Val to teach their adult Sunday School Class. He loved and continued teaching God's Word, revealed through the Bible. Later the members of the Egan church encouraged Val to attend seminary and become a pastor. It was not an easy decision, but it turned out to be very wise in the end, as obedience to God is. He attended North American Baptist Seminary starting in September 1992 and completed his degree in Divinity in May 1995. After his first year of seminary, he received a call to serve part-time at the Garretson United Methodist Church and later served full-time after adding two small churches in Minnesota. After seven years in Garretson, Val stated that he and Teresa would be willing to move anywhere except North Dakota. They soon packed their bags to head north to Bowman, North Dakota. Then twelve years later, they moved to pastor the Winner United Methodist Church in South Dakota. After retiring from 5 years of ministry in Winner, they moved to a farm near Canton and, lastly, Sioux Falls. In retirement, Val pastored the Methodist Church in Viborg, SD, worked as a volunteer hospice chaplain, and part-time chaplain at the Avera Heart Hospital. He entered into his eternal rest and has now truly retired. The remarkable grace of God marked Val's life. Living by those words of Ephesians 2:8, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." He longed that everyone would come into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.


Grateful for having a part of Val's life are his wife, Teresa; Children, Aaron (Liz Rush), Avon, SD; Sarah Rush, Sioux Falls; and Jonathan Rush and Heather Rieger. Sioux Falls. Grandchildren Kuyper Rush, Zane Rush, Charles Rush, Finley Rush, Ezra Rush, Brooklyn Rieger, Ellianna Rush, and Evelyn Rush. Siblings: James Rush (Ann), Omaha, NE; Margaret Rush, Sioux Falls; Jack Rush (Gayle), Philip, SD; Mary Jane Hover (Brad), Kansas City, MO; and Richard "Dick" Rush, Omaha, NE. He was preceded in death by his parents and brother David Rush.

Funeral services will be 10:30 am (CST) Friday, November 11, 2022, at the Egan United Methodist Church, Egan, SD, with burial in Hillside Cemetery, Egan. Visitation will be Thursday from 5:00 – 7:00 pm (CST) with a time of sharing at 6:30 pm at Skroch Funeral Chapel, Flandreau.