Anita “Rusti” Horton

Anita Louise "Rusti" Boles Horton was born on September 26, 1944, in Glendale, California, to Kyle and Anita Boles. With her fiery red hair and equally spirited personality, she quickly became "Rusti" to everyone who knew and loved her. In fact, if you heard someone call her Anita, you knew they must be talking about her mother.

Before she even started grade school, her parents moved her "home" to Emmett, Idaho-a place that would remain at the center of her heart for the rest of her life. Emmett is where Rusti grew up, built her home, raised her family, and made the kind of lifelong friendships that she would carry with her always.

It was also in Emmett where she met Kenny Horton. He was ten years older, but that didn't matter-it was love at first sight. In December of 1960, on a cold winter day, Rusti and Kenny drove to New Plymouth and got married. In true Rusti fashion, she came home that night and didn't tell her mother.

Together, Rusti and Kenny built a life full of love, laughter, and partnership that lasted sixty years. They made their home in Emmett and later spent their retirement winters in Yuma, Arizona. They raised two children, Mike and Marie and nothing made Rusti prouder than her family. She adored her three granddaughters, Jennifer, Alyssa, and Nekane, and absolutely lit up when talking about her five great-grandchildren: Maikyla, Amaia, Aiden, Mason, and Nyla.

Kenny passed away days after their 60th wedding anniversary, a loss Rusti carried deeply. In the years that followed, she continued spending her winters in Yuma at Desert Grove Mobile Estates, surrounded by friends who had long since become family.

Rusti was fiercely proud of her Basque heritage. She loved the food, the traditions, the people-and especially the language. She never missed a chance to tell someone she was Basque (or "Basko," as she'd say with a smile), whether she'd known them for years or had just met them moments before.

She had a strong work ethic and a sharp mind. Early on, she worked at the Gratton & Barnhard Insurance Agency and later at the Messenger-Index with her family. But it was her time with the Idaho Legislature that truly lit a spark in her. That was where her "second life" began.

Rusti loved politics-not just the headlines, but the process, the people, and the purpose behind it all. She loved being at the Capitol, right in the middle of the action. She became someone others relied on, especially when it came to Mason's Manual, and she took pride in knowing her work mattered. She was also a proud member of the American Society of Legislative Clerks and Secretaries.

If you knew Rusti, you knew she had a keen eye for detail-especially when it came to grammar. She believed deeply in the power of words and wasn't shy about offering edits for just a quick text or the Senate Journal. She did it with love (and usually a little humor), determined to make sure the English language was in good hands.

Rusti was preceded in death by her parents and her beloved Kenny. She is survived by her children, Mike and Marie (Oscar Carrillo); her granddaughters, step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren; and a wide circle of friends and family who will miss her deeply.

Rusti lived life in her own way-boldly, proudly, and with a story always worth telling. She leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and a family who will carry her spirit forward.