Eugene "Rusty" Mortimer, age 69, of Newark passed away Sunday morning August 31, 2025. Eugene was born on September 14, 1955, in Newark to Russell E. and Dorothy Jean (McCune) Mortimer.

Rusty was an avid outdoorsman. His favorite outdoor passions included morel mushroom hunting and fishing. Late March through early May, he and his wife, Espie, practically lived in the woods returning home only to cook the day's finds for dinner. While he would fish for anything biting, crappie fishing was his passion and often spring meals included both fried crappie and morels. Aside from Espie, only a few trusted friends were lucky enough to know his best hunting and fishing secrets. Rusty also had a passion for winning and for speed, spending several years racing NASCAR. Car 30 was a lightning bolt of speed. In the 1980's and 1990's Rusty operated R&R Entertainment, local video game rooms beloved by hundreds as a safe teenage hangout. He would sometimes relate the business to outdoor life, stating the games were like live traps and used to capture quarters rather than animals, keeping them safe until he was ready to collect them. Similarly, he maintained a vending route for many years. Eventually Rusty converted his businesses into investing. Like his other passions he was obsessed with numbers and strived to learn everything about the market in order to perfect his techniques. He learned well and those who followed his advice were pleased with the results. This allowed him more free time to spend outdoors with his wife of 37 years, family and friends. Rusty was known for his ability to talk to anyone. In many instances this skill was really in his questions. He would ask people questions, and he found folks liked to talk about themselves. In this way, his real skill was listening. Once he learned about you, the transition to sharing about his many exploits and adventures would quickly follow.

He is survived by his loving wife, Esperanza A. Mortimer; daughter, Ryann (Scott) Mortimer; mother, Dorothy Jean Mortimer; grandchildren, Jordon Baker, Jesse Bricker Jr.; great grandchildren, Justin DeVore III, Jeremiah Dexore, Jessie Bricker III, Anna Bricker, Addilynn Bricker, Everleigh Bricker, and Elaina Bricker.

Rusty is preceded by his father, Russell Mortimer, and sister, Debbie Ball.

There will be no services held at this time.