"Suddenly...you were gone...from all the lives you left your mark upon..."

John Howard Rutsey (July 23, 1952 - May 11, 2008) was a Canadian drummer, most recognized for being a co-founding member of Rush along with Alex Lifeson and Jeff Jones, and performing on the band's debut album. John Rutsey left the band in 1974, due to musical differences and health problems with type 1 diabetes, and was replaced by Neil Peart.

Rutsey's type 1 diabetes was believed to be a complicating factor in his death from a heart attack in 2008, at age 55. Tape-recorded comments from Rutsey are heard in the 2010 documentary Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage, and the DVD release includes two performances with him on drums.

Donations may be made in John's memory to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 7100 Woodbine Avenue, Suite 311, Markham, ON, L3R 5J2 (online: www.jdrf.ca, by phone: 905-944-4631).

Excerpted from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Rutsey and from Legacy.com/obituaries/thestar/obituary.aspx?n=john-rutsey&pid=125194847

Andrew Neil MacNaughtan (25 February 1964 - 25 January 2012) was a Canadian photographer and music video director. He won four Juno Awards for his work as a photographer, director and album art designer, including one for Music DVD of the Year for Rush's Rush in Rio in 2004. Artists for whom MacNaughtan directed music videos included Rush, Aaron Carter, and Michael Bublé.

He also launched ArtGivesHope, a charity to help families in Africa affected by HIV/AIDS, in the early 2010s. He published the photography book GRACE: Africa in Photographs in 2011 to raise funds for the organization. Andrew hoped to raise funds through the sales of the book available at his Art Gives Hope website (or you can directly sponsor a child for $40/month, details to do this can be found out via emailing World Vision).

MacNaughtan died of a heart attack in Los Angeles during an assignment with Rush. Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart issued a joint statement in MacNaughtan’s honour via their Facebook page: “We’re deeply shocked and heartbroken to learn of the sudden passing of our close friend and longtime photographer, Andrew MacNaughtan. He was a sweet person and a very talented artist. Words cannot describe how much he will be missed.

Excerpted from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_MacNaughtan and TheCanadianMusicScene.com/macnaughtan_grace-africa.html

Clifford Lee Burton (February 10, 1962 – September 27, 1986) was an American musician, best known as the bass guitarist for the American thrash metal band Metallica. Burton joined Metallica in 1982 and performed on the band's first three studio albums. He also received a posthumous writing credit for the song "To Live Is to Die" from the band's fourth studio album, ...And Justice For All.

On September 27, 1986, Burton was killed in a bus accident in rural Sweden, as the band was touring in support of the Master of Puppets album. Burton was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Metallica on April 4, 2009. He was selected as the ninth greatest bassist of all time in an online reader poll organized by Rolling Stone in 2011.

"He was also really into a lot of kind of progressive stuff like Yes, and Peter Gabriel, and a lot of prog rock. And he was a hardcore Rush fanatic. Certainly I had an appreciation of Rush, but not to the level that he did."

Excerpted from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Burton and Cliff Burton Remembered: Outtakes from Revolver’s Lars Ulrich Interview

Evan Chronister was a music enthusiast, a masterful mix CD maker, and an avid blogger. He could talk your ear off about seeing legendary bands in their prime, but his first show was something he'd never forgotten: Rush.

Excerpted from Evan Chronister Talks About His Love of Rush, Seeing the Sex Pistols in Dallas.

On Friday, October 8, 2010, Rush Is A Band reported that longtime RIAB member and contributor Gary Ortiz (aka glortiz) passed away from cancer on October 3rd. He was but 50 years of age. "Gary fought right up to the end, even insisting on going to the Rush show in Bristow a few weeks [prior]. And although he made it to Maryland, Gary unfortunately became too ill to attend the show and was admitted into Bethesda Naval Hospital, spending two weeks there."

Gary had a great love of music and played bass guitar. He had a special interest in the music of Rush. Through the website rushisaband.com, Gary and [his wife] Helen met and made friends with Rush fans from all walks of life, and those friends loved their "Analog Kid." Gary wanted to "Go home, have a beer, kiss my girls and get some rest. He passed away in his home in Ohio, with his girls by his side.

If anyone would like to make a donation to Fisher House in Gary's name, go to their website at Fisherhouse.fasttransact.net and place a donation In Memory of Gary Ortiz.

Excerpted from RushIsABand.com/blog/2010/10/08/2346/Updates-and-other-random-Rush-stuff and from Legacy.com/obituaries/thetimesherald/obituary.aspx?n=gary-lee-ortiz&pid=146172486

Joseph Anthony Yannuzzi (1936 - 1992) was known as legendary San Antonio deejay Joe Anthony, nicknamed “The Godfather”. Thanks to Joe and his longtime KMAC/KISS FM partner Lou Roney, once-obscure bands like Rush (Canada), the Scorpions (Germany), Saxon (Great Britain) and Queensryche (U.S.) were rock stars in San Antonio before they signed an autograph outside their own ZIP codes. With Joe at the helm, San Antonio earned a worldwide reputation as the “Heavy Metal Capital of the World.” Joe’s early endorsement of Rush is perhaps his greatest claim to fame.

Excerpted from 2fast2die.com/2012/07/joe-anthony-the-spirit-of-san-antonio-radio

John Anthony Laurik III (November 28, 1970 - August 23, 2009) of Springfield, Illinois. He was an avid Dallas Cowboys fan and an avid RUSH fan. He also enjoyed fishing and golfing. Memorial contributions may be made to the Shriner's Children's Hospital or the Inner City Mission.

Excerpted from VancilMurphy.com/memsol.cgi?user_id=1355241

In the summer of 1987, an ordinary Rush fan from England had an extraordinary idea—to bring together Rush fans from the world over through the creation of the band's first "fan" zine. Michael "Mick" Burnett along with a team of co-editors, typists and printers began to churn out the "Spirit of Rush," a magazine written by Rush fans, for Rush fans. ... As Rush progressed through the late 1980s into the 1990s, so too did The Spirit of Rush. ... Even as the dawn of the internet age began to truly take hold, The Spirit of Rush remained a staple among Rush fans.

In late July of 2002, after publishing over 60 issues since that fateful summer in 1987, tragedy struck the fanzine. The editor and founder of The Spirit of Rush, Mick Burnett, passed away suddenly after suffering a heart attack. Just a month later, Mick was celebrated and remembered during a Rush convention in England - one that was essentially sponsored by the fanzine.

Following the 63rd issue of the fanzine, one that was dedicated to Mick, a final issue was released after which The Spirit of Rush closed its doors forever. ... With the help and blessing from former editors and contributors, Cygnus-X1 hosts an archive of all of the issues of the fanzine (see Issue #10 to read Mick's 4-page letter from Neil Peart).

Please send an Email if you were an editor or contributor to The Spirit of Rush.

Excerpted from Cygnus-X1.net/links/rush/tsor.php

Michael Ordaz was born in Mexico City in 1969. At the age of twelve he moved with his family to Austin. He was a high school graduate, served in the Navy, earned a Bachelors degree in Health Care Administration from Texas State University, and worked at Breckenridge Hospital. He had a passion for music, in particular for the rock band Rush. He also enjoyed playing and attending soccer matches all over the world. His greatest joy, however, was his family and especially his son. Memorial donations can be made in the name of Ethan Y. Ordaz Education Fund at Wells Fargo Bank.

Published in Austin American-Statesman on Nov. 7, 2004.

Russell 'Skip' Gildersleeve (July 23, 1956 - September 15, 2013)

On September 19, 2013, Rush.com reported of Skip's passing, at age 57: “The news of Russell ‘Skip’ Gildersleeve’s passing is shocking and very, very sad. He was one of our original crew members from the mid-70s and we all have many great memories of his friendship, his sense of humour and his association with us over all those years. Our hearts and thoughts go out to his family and close friends. He will be missed.” — Geddy, Alex and Neil

Rush Fan Stories contributor Angela Grant, wrote: "To most fans the names of the personnel, listed in album credits and tour programmes, remain just that--names. But for some, encounters with concert crews can turn a name into a friend. For me, one such long-distance friendship was with Russell 'Skip' Gildersleeve, who sadly passed away of natural causes in September 2013." She first met him at the Roll The Bones concert in Sheffield and later, they communicated regularly through Facebook. Angela wrote, "As many of you know, he was an integral part of the Rush family, starting on the Caress of Steel tour crew in 1975 as stage left tech and continuing to work with Rush up to the Test For Echo tour, by which time he had progressed to stage manager (on the Counterparts tour) before switching to office production for T4E."

You'll be able to read more about Skip Gildersleeve in Rush Fan Stories, but until then, you can hear Skip say, "Oh won't you please welcome home, RUSH!" on the All The World's A Stage Massey Hall and Different Stages Hammersmith Odeon live recordings.

From Rush.com/russell-skip-gildersleeve-dies-at-57/ and Rush Fan Stories.

Terry N. Ross (March 10, 1959 - March 13, 2011) of Wisconsin, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 52 years. Terry was a #1 Rush fan. Terry was a seasoned musician with over 30 years of experience. He was a proud member of Jumping Parker, a classical rock band, where he played his Geddy Lee Signature Jazz Bass. Terry's ability to "bump the bass just right to rock the groove", contributed to the mood and feel of Jumping Parker's upbeat showcase. Terry was also an avid fisherman. He enjoyed going out on his boat "A Reel Rush" with his son Tyler. Memorials can be directed to his wife, Lynn, for Tyler's Education.

Excerpted from Obits.DignityMemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Terry-Ross&pid=149341040