September 10, 2026, 80, Goldsboro – Jane Rustin, 80, passed away peacefully Thursday, September 10, 2026, surrounded by loving family at Brookdale Country Day Road in Goldsboro, NC. Born in Glen Cove, NY, on July 2, 1946, she was the daughter of the late Howard Frank Rustin, M.D., and Helen Mern Rustin. Jane grew up and was raised in Syosset, NY. Among her homes before arriving in Goldsboro were Northport, NY; Keene, NH; and Cumberland, MD.
Jane received her B.A. in Sociology from Barnard College in New York in 1968 and her M.L.S., with honors, from Columbia University in 1969. Jane will be remembered for a life marked by dedication to the communities she served as a librarian for more than forty years. She was a children’s librarian at the Cold Spring Harbor Library in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, before becoming the library’s director. She was the director of the Keene Public Library in Keene, NH, and the Allegany County Library System in Maryland, before serving as the director of the Wayne County Public Library from 1999 until her retirement in 2011. Through her work and leadership with the library and her involvement with the United Way, Rotary Club, and other charitable organizations and civic groups, Jane made lasting contributions to every community she called home.
She was preceded in death by her parents and her older sister, Barbara Mern Rustin. She is survived by her younger sister, Belzora Helen Rustin of Goldsboro, NC; her two sons, Thomas Henry Perlungher (Sarah) of Goldsboro, NC, and Richard Rustin Perlungher (Nicole) of Indian Trail, NC; and her three beloved grandchildren, Ellie, Grace, and Jonathan.
Jane will be deeply missed by her family and by all those whose lives she touched. Her family extends their heartfelt thanks to Sonya Mozingo and Theresa Williams for their friendship and loving support of Jane. The care Jane received from the staff at Brookdale was compassionate, extraordinary, and appreciated beyond measure.
Her funeral will be held at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on Saturday, September 19 at 11 a.m., with family visitation to follow in the Parish Hall. Contributions in Jane’s memory may be made to the United Way of Wayne County, 309 N. William St., Goldsboro, NC 27530.
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