Joshua Jonathan Rast went home to be with the Lord October 6, 2022. Josh was known for his positive attitude, quiet strength, and love for God and those around him. Josh was a hard worker, eager to lend a hand, and led by example, leaving an impact on all he encountered. Josh was born April 23, 1988 in Sun Valley, Idaho to Jeff and Carol Rast, and grew up with his parents and older sister, Sarah, on the Camas Prairie in Fairfield, Idaho. As a child, Josh had a pleasant nature and adventurous spirit, and was well-liked and respected. Josh loved sports and enjoyed playing bass guitar at church. Driven by a passion and respect for animals and nature, Josh raised meat goats, rabbits and chickens, learning to process them with his dad. He became an avid hunter, even raising his own bird dogs. In high school he went on mission trips with Teen Mania Ministries to spread the message of God’s love to people in Peru, and twice to South Africa. After high school he spent two years interning with Teen Mania’s Honor Academy where he did trips to Costa Rica and Dubai, and he spent a year on the road serving as camera man for the Acquire the Fire youth conferences all over the United States. After Honor Academy, Josh went to Northwest Nazarene University where he earned a Bachelor’s in Wildlife Biology with the intention of grad school. At NNU, Josh met his wife, Lindsay, while working together at the campus Event Center in 2008. He was smitten after she invited him on a girls-ask-the-guys event. They began dating in their sophomore year, were engaged a little over a year later, and tied the knot on May 14, 2011 during their junior year of college. During college breaks Josh continued to pursue his passion for wildlife by working for the Forest Service in Fairfield, and after graduating he contracted with the Idaho National Guard monitoring plant and rattle snake populations. He also participated in research with the Idaho Fish and Game at the Eagle Fish Hatchery. A month after getting their black lab puppy, Josh and Lindsay found out they were pregnant. During this time, Josh had a mole removed that was found to be melanoma. They welcomed their first child, Oliver, in February of 2015, and just over a year later while planning to move to Bozeman to be near Lindsay’s family, the melanoma was found in one of Josh’s lymph nodes. Over the eight years with cancer, Josh and Lindsay made many beneficial life changes to help his body fight the melanoma, from choosing a plant-based diet, years of immunotherapy, alternative treatments in Mexico, and even virotherapy in Latvia alongside his dad. Even though the cancer persisted, Josh kept a good attitude and trust in the Lord despite the circumstances. Just before his daughter, Katelyn, was born in 2017, Josh began working at Simms, where he was known as a “powerhouse across the production floor”, making high-end fishing waders. Weeks before losing his dad to cancer in 2020, Josh and Lindsay were blessed and surprised to find out they were pregnant, and they welcomed Emmett in July 2021. Like his dad, Josh loved to research, dream and plan, from arranging the 10-year anniversary get-away he and Lindsay took to Mexico, to listening to Disney podcasts in hopes of a future trip. He enjoyed volunteering his time at their church running the cameras and loved spending time with friends and their Bible study group. Though Josh loved to hunt, fish and snowboard, he loved even more to devote time to family, being goofy with the kids and teaching them to fish and play catch, and leading them closer to Christ through the Bible and prayer. Josh will be remembered for his powerful example of a life following Christ, honoring God in all he did. Josh was preceded in death by his father, Jeff Rast. Surviving family members include his wife, Lindsay, their children, Oliver (7), Katelyn (5), and Emmett (1½); his mom, Carol Rast, of Fairfield, ID; and his sister, Sarah (Daniel) Tompkins, of Tacoma, WA and their children. Josh's Memorial Service will be held on Friday, October 28th, 2022 at 4:00 P.M. at Redeemer Church in Bozeman, MT.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com [dokkennelson.com]
