Dr. Lilburn Carl (Rus) Penland

Dr. Lilburn Carl (Rus) Penland, age 94, passed away March 17, 2024. He was born on April 4, 1929 to Susie Annis and Carl Arthur Penland in Salem, Missouri and raised in Crocker, Missouri.

Rus enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1949. He was proud of his eleven years of active duty and reserve service to his country attaining the rank of Sergeant First Class. Shortly after joining the army, he became involved in the Korean Conflict serving as General Miller O. Perry’s personnel officer for the 24th Infantry Division, 52nd Field Artillery Battalion. For his service in Korea he was awarded the Bronze Star. Rus married Ruth Jacqueline (Jackie) Salveter of Crocker, MO in 1953. His son Carl was born in nearby Waynesville a year later in 1954. They were married 68 years until her death in May of 2021. Jackie instilled in Rus the importance of education and after his time in the U.S. Army, Rus enrolled at the Kansas City Art Institute and continued at the University of Missouri, Columbia attaining his Bachelor of Arts and Master’s Degrees. In 1964, Rus moved his family to Lake Charles, LA where he had taken a teaching position at the McNeese State College art department.  His son Dru was born in Lake Charles in October the following year. In 1966 he took a position as head of the art department at the University of Corpus Christi, TX (Texas A&M University Corpus Christi) where he taught until making the decision to further his education at North Texas State University. There he attained the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 1976. Rus returned to teaching in Houston, TX at Houston Baptist University (Houston Christian University). He loved teaching art history, drawing, painting, sculpture and ceramics. He immersed himself in all aspects of teaching from compounding glazes, building and firing kilns, metal smelting, casting, welding and leading his students on discovery expeditions in Mexico where they explored museums and ancient archaeological sites. His intense interest in art history was wide ranging from ancient Minoan and Egyptian civilizations to Mexico, Central and South American civilizations of the Maya, Aztec, Olmec and Inca.  Although Rus loved teaching, he longed to return and live in Corpus Christi, so in 1982 he acquired Bud’s Keys and Safes and operated the business until retirement in the 1990’s. 

Rus loved the outdoors and everything about the natural world. He delighted in music, primitive camping on Padre Island, canoeing, sailing the Gulf Coast and monitoring nesting populations of rare and endangered south Texas sea birds. He was very fond of the yearly Texas wildflower bloom often embarking on road trips to enjoy their beauty.  Rus maintained his yard as his family’s oasis of flowers, wildflowers and flowering fruit bearing trees and plants. The sight and song of migratory birds, particularly Purple Martins and Hummingbirds, were always welcome and something he spent much of his time studying and nurturing.  

Rus is preceded in death by his wife Jackie Penland, parents Susie and Carl Penland, sister Laverta Penland and brother-in-law Larry Salveter. He is survived by his sister Nancy Marie Burnett, two sons Carl Penland (Kim) and Dru Penland (Debora), three grandchildren; Jason Penland, Joshua Penland and Samantha Penland; and sister-in-law Marilyn Salveter, nieces, nephews and dear friends such as Frank Sanchez and Joan Salazar.

A visitation will be held at 10 AM on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 at Seaside Funeral Home. A funeral service will follow that same day at 11:30 AM at Seaside Funeral Home Chapel. Interment to follow at Seaside Memorial Park.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.