Paul Jonathan Ruston

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Paul Jonathan Ruston died on August 8, 2023, after a short illness. Paul lived in Kent, Washington (near Seattle) and was a beloved teacher and coach at nearby Thomas Jefferson High School. Born December 5, 1962, in Syracuse, N.Y., Paul was the youngest of four children of Dorothy (“Dinny”) (Rubenstein) and Maurice (“Rusty”) Ruston.

Paul was an accomplished cross country and track & field athlete, known for his work ethic. While earning his bachelor’s degree in photo management from Rochester
Institute of Technology (RIT), Paul was a four-time All-America, earning honors in cross country, indoor, and outdoor track & field. He finished in 2nd place nationally in the 5,000-meter run and held ten track records. He was inducted into the RIT Athletic Hall of Fame in 1991. Paul earned a master’s degree in education from Fordham University.

He competed in the Pan American Games, the Maccabiah Games, and narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympic Trials in the marathon. For eight years after college, Paul taught and coached cross country and track in Alaska and ran competitively with Team Alaska Track Club.

In 2000, Paul began teaching photography and coaching at Thomas Jefferson High School. Passionate about
teaching, Paul earned his National Boards Certification, mentored many teachers and coaches, and represented fellow teachers on various union boards.

Paul was well-known as Thomas Jefferson High School’s accomplished cross country and track & field coach of 22 years. Embracing the school’s urban setting and diverse
student body, Paul helped develop its running sports into some of the strongest in Washington State. These programs fostered life-long athletes and successful young
adults, including those recruited to top universities for their sport. Paul taught and coached over 3,000 students and athletes, and was legendary for his ability to motivate
young people, grow their character, and do so with good humor and kindness. Paul was proud of how, as he built the school’s cross country program, his girls’ team improved
each year to eventually achieve 2nd place in the Washington State meet. Paul was named the 2007 4A Girls Coach of the Year by the Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association and was inducted into the Washington Cross Country Coaches Hall of Fame in 2023.

Paul was preceded in death by his mother, father, and brother Scott. He is survived by his sister Anna Dobbs, his brother David, his nieces Kara, Mallorie, and Rachel, and his partner of 18 years, Lori Matthews, and her two daughters (Tara and Ashley) and five grandchildren (Claire, Luke, Charlotte, Andrew, and William). He is also loved by a large extended family and network of friends and former students and athletes.

Paul was buried on August 11, 2023, in Seattle.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Ruston Family Foundation (https://rustonfamilyfoundation.org) which Paul founded to promote high school cross country in Washington State