Former Wheeling Public Works Director Russell “Rusty” Jebbia Jr. poses for a photo taken in June 2022 at the City-County Building during a gathering to celebrate his retirement after 44 years of service to the city. Jebbia battled a serious illness in recent years and died over the weekend at the age of 71. (File photo by Eric Ayres)

WHEELING – Hearts were heavy in the city of Wheeling on Monday as friends and colleagues of former long-time city Public Works Director Russell “Rusty” Jebbia Jr. reflected on his life and legacy in the community he loved.

Jebbia had been battling a serious illness in recent years and died unexpectedly over the weekend. He was 71.

“Rusty was an incredibly dedicated public official who loved this city wholeheartedly,” Wheeling City Manager Robert Herron said. “He was involved in just about every aspect of city government and was highly respected by his colleagues and our citizens.”

Herron said that Jebbia always approached a situation with a “how can I help?” demeanor, and he made people feel comfortable, even when disagreeing or making a decision that didn’t go their way.

“It was obvious everyday that he loved and was proud of his family,” Herron added. “He was truly missed from the day he retired for his contributions to our organization. He earned and absolutely deserved a long and happy retirement. That has been cut short and we all feel extremely sorry for that and will miss him deeply.”

Operations Superintendent Steve Johnston was the fire chief at the same time Jebbia was Public Works director, but their friendship spanned even further back – over 50 years.

“I met Rusty actually when I was 16 years old,” Johnston said. “He was a senior at Linsly when I was a sophomore. Rusty and I had a mutual liking for cars. I’ve known him for a long time. I knew him better outside of work than I did at work until I was appointed chief of the fire department.”

When both men headed city departments, they sat together at council meetings. Johnston said Jebbia would at times have a car magazine tucked inside his stack of paperwork, but could somehow listen with one ear, keep up with the meeting and be able to answer questions afterward.

“We always had fun,” Johnston said. “He was the right guy for that job. If you had a north star you needed to refer to on all things city, Rusty was a good go-to. One of the first things that is important in leadership is relationships. He was your friend. If Rusty had one characteristic on its own, it was loyalty. He was loyal to the city and he was loyal to the people he worked with. ”

Water Department Superintendent Lori Siburt, also worked alongside Jebbia for many years.

“I’ve known Rusty for a long time, and he was truly a wonderful person who touched so many lives,” Siburt said. “His absence will be deeply felt — he made the world a better place simply by being here. I will truly miss him.”

Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder worked for decades as the executive director of the Greater Wheeling Sports and Entertainment Authority alongside Jebbia, who retired in 2022 after serving the city for 44 years.

“Rusty and I have been friends for more than 40 years,” Magruder said. “First of all, we had a friendship. And in our work capacities …we just had a special partnership back and forth. He was just a wonderful guy.”

Magruder said Jebbia was always ready and willing to help.

“I remember one night, it was 2 a.m. after a rodeo,” Magruder said of one particular dilemma at WesBanco Arena. “The dirt was compacted, and we were having a hell of a time trying to get it out. We had a quick turnaround and had to make ice the next afternoon. So I called Russ for suggestions and said, ‘I need some help.'”

Jebbia sent a crew to the rescue with a street sweeper to loosen the dirt, followed by a truck with a sprayer, and seemingly seamlessly to patrons, hockey night was a go in Wheeling the next day.

“We’re not as good a community today without him. He was one good man. He had a gifted knack of bringing people together and resolving things. We’re going to miss him.”

Johnston added that Jebbia was always a good storyteller, but you needed to block out a chunk of time to listen – which most people were happy to do.

“Rusty had no short stories,” Johnston said. “I think that had something to do with his academic and engineering background. He was into the nuts and bolts.”

Even in his retirement, Jebbia remained connected with many people in the city, offering wisdom and lending an ear whenever anyone needed it.

“Rusty has always been a resource for me,” Johnston noted. “I talked to him a week before last and just asked how he was doing. I know that he was sick. It was heartbreaking. But with Rusty, you wouldn’t know it. He didn’t dwell on that. He was the same guy all of the time – always fun, always optimistic and always good to be around.”