William "Rusty" Maurice Clyma III's Obituary
William Maurice Clyma III (known to almost all as “Rusty”) left this life for life eternal on Saturday, September 16, 2023, in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
Rusty was born on July 2, 1959 in Stillwater, Oklahoma, the first child of William Maurice Clyma, Jr. and Joan Ann (Green) Clyma. His family returned to Tulsa, Oklahoma the following year and he was educated in the Tulsa public schools. As a student at Nathan Hale High School, he was a member of the Hale Marching 100, performing one year at the Cotton Bowl. During his high school years, he was the first male “candy striper” at St. John Hospital. He was also active in the Boy Scouts. After high school, he attended Conception Seminary and St. Meinrad’s Seminary, and then Marian College, where he majored in theater.
In the 1980's he entered St. Gregory’s Abbey in Shawnee, Oklahoma. He later transferred to the Monastery of Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu, New Mexico. Deciding not to take final vows as a monk, he returned to Tulsa and became involved in the AIDS service community.
In 1996, Rusty went to San Francisco on what was planned to be a short visit to help a friend who was moving there from Tulsa. Early in his time there, he met (at church) the man whom he would marry. On New Year’s Eve in 1996, Rusty proposed to George McCauslan. They made their vows to each other on July 12, 1997 at the Episcopal Church of St. John the Evangelist in San Francisco, where they had met. While not a legal marriage at that time, George always said that since they had made vows in front of a bishop, two priests and a deacon, and their mothers, it certainly counted. Rusty and George were legally married in San Francisco in 2008.
Rusty was ordained a deacon in 2002 and a priest in 2003 by the Evangelical Anglican Church in America. In 2004, he was consecrated as the founding bishop of what is now the Inclusive Celtic Church. He was pastor of a congregation in San Francisco, St. Savior’s, from 2002 until he moved to Tulsa in 2012, and a congregation in Tulsa, Emmaus Community, from 2012 until his death. In Tulsa, Rusty became involved with the Imperial Court of All Oklahoma (ICAO), a charity organization whose role is hold events to raise funds for other non-profits. In 2014, he was elected as Emperor VII of the ICAO, the fundraising co-chair of the organization for that year. He later served a president of the ICAO. He also traveled widely throughout the United States to support the activities of other chapters of the Imperial Court System, and made many close friends through that process. Rusty was a loving husband, son, brother, uncle and great uncle, a loyal friend, a wise and patient advisor, and a faithful bishop to his communities. His presence brought joy to almost any situation. He was loved by many whose paths crossed his over the years.
Rusty is survived by his husband, George McCauslan of Tulsa, parents, William Maurice Clyma, Jr. and Joan Ann Clyma of Tulsa, his sister, Geri Bauhaus (Joe) of Tulsa and his brother, David Clyma of Colorado Springs, CO. He is also survived by nieces and a nephew: Kristen Ballard (Blake), Kelty Clyma, Allyson Collins (Josh), Kathryn Clyma, and Liam Clyma, and great nieces and great nephew: Gibson Ballard, McKenna Collins, and Morgan Collins.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at Fellowship Congregational Church, 2900 S. Harvard Ave., Tulsa.
Arrangements are entrusted to Floral Haven Funeral Home.
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