RUSTAM BARBEE Obituary

ATTORNEY RUSTAM AARON BARBEE Born: January 19, 1957, in Madison, WI Died: December 11, 2025, in Honolulu, HI Rustam Aaron Barbee was a Hawai'i defense attorney who persistently fought for the underdog. Rus, as many called him, was married twice, and was the proud father of five children. He had two children with Doris Miller Barbee, and three children with Patti Tancayo Barbee. Rustam attended the University of Wisconsin in Milwaukee for undergraduate school. and specialized in criminal justice and social welfare. He then attended the University of Wisconsin in River Falls, and specialized in sociology. Rustam earned his J.D from the University of Wisconsin in Madison and obtained his juris doctorate in 1984. While practicing law in Wisconsin, Rus worked as a Deputy Attorney General in Madison from 1984-1989. In 1989, Rustam was offered a position as a Federal Public Defender in Honolulu, and the family moved to the beautiful State of Hawai'i, where he remained with the Federal Public Defender's office until 1997. During his tenure, Rustam represented clients in federal court who could not afford an attorney, and established himself as an exceptional, competent, and courageous attorney. After nearly a decade of working in public defense, Rustam went into private practice in 1997, and began teaching law at Chaminade University and Kapiolani College. He served on the Office of Disciplinary Counsel Board for several years and he has been the treasurer for the African American Lawyers Association of Hawaii since 1989. Rustam diligently fought for Justice for All; he strived to improve the legal system in Hawai'i and focused his efforts on ensuring that competent legal defense was accessible to all. Rus displayed excellent work ethic, professionalism, and commitment toward the simple fact that there is but one race - the human race. Rustam's colorful personality, grit, and astuteness was a wonder to observe, and his impact on all who met him was undeniable. In his spare time, Rus loved to stretch his friendly competitiveness and play softball, racquetball, and golf. Rus also greatly enjoyed traveling, hiking, camping, fishing, painting, traveling to Jamaica (Reach Falls), and doing what he could to convince everyone around him that the "Packers goin' to dah Super Bowl!" that year. Rustam was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd Augustus Barbee and Roudaba Bunting-Thatcher-Barbee-Davido. Rus is the proud father of five children; Aaron Barbee, Leah Barbee-Miller, Brock Keanu Ruelke, Alicia Ruelke, and Luke Barbee. He leaves behind five siblings; Finn Barbee, Daphne Barbee-Wooten, Monica Lau, Anna Davido, James Davido, and Manuel Davido. Rustam was a wonderful father and grandfather, and his four grandchildren will miss their "Papa" greatly. Rus's door was always open to all and those that walked through that door will never forget the man he was and the legacy he created; he will be greatly missed by many friends and family members whose lives he impacted. "...I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." - Invictus Rest in Justice.