Name: Eli Rush - Celebration of Life
Start: 2026-06-14T14:00:00-07:00
Location: Miners Foundry Cultural Center

Join in celebrating the life of Eli Rush at the Miners Foundry in Nevada City, California. Potluck - feel free to bring a hearty snack or finger food.
September 5, 1948 - February 22, 2026
A photographer, electrician, musician, paddler, gold miner, jeweler, and inveterate adventurer in Alaska and South America, Eli Rush has died at home in Colfax with his girlfriend, Debbie Simpson at his side.
Rush was a singularly courageous explorer, an artist who literally went to the ends of the earth in his quest for connection with nature and creation of images using large format cameras.
Debbie says, “I never thought it would be Eli who would change my life after our first meeting 50 years ago. For the past eight years he has been my love and my truest, closest friend.
“I never accompanied Eli on any of his wilderness trips. But I always considered him to be my greatest adventure. He brought so much love and joy into my life, opening my eyes to the astonishing array of beauty in nature...from the tiniest purple violets to the majestic quaking aspens, the vibrant mountain bluebirds, the mules’ ears, the migratory snow geese, and the calls of the Sandhill cranes. The Sunday drives we took together were a feast to our eyes and ears.
“With his kind heart and beautiful soul, Eli was the epitome of goodness. He was always there with a smile, a story, and an ear to listen. His wit and humor were surpassed by none. His love for dogs and kids was so endearing. I celebrate the gift of Eli in my life. He was the best and is dearly missed.
“This summer Eli will become one with the beauty he pursued for his photographs. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge will be his final resting place. It will be like going home.”
Eli’s sister Lisa, says, “We shared family vacations on Lake Michigan in a rustic cottage with a screened-in porch, where Eli slept, of course, being as close to the outdoors as possible. The cottage was atop a cliff overlooking that glorious lake. We’d make the parents nervous riding the waves when the red flags were flying.
“I shared some ‘out there’ wilderness experiences with Eli, always feeling safe and protected as he was both brother and experienced guide. He exuded confidence and competence...I trusted him completely.”
A cousin, Marc Tannenhaus, writes,
“On our last vacation day on Lake Michigan, Eli and I got out too far in our tiny sailboat. Our parents called us in. School would start soon, so Eli reckoned that any punishment would be short-lived. We kept going further until we could no longer see the shore. The wind died down and suddenly the coast guard appeared. They took our boat onto theirs and served us hot dogs and beans. When we got to shore, the local news was there. It was an unforgettable day.”
Sandra Anfang, a close friend, writes: “In the summer of ’73, we hitchhiked and backpacked across the west and ended up at Eli’s American River campground, staying for a week or so.
“After the Bouillon Creek camp dispersed, Lisa, Eli, and I began our hike out of the canyon. On a steep hillside, I became paralyzed with fear and couldn’t move forward or backward; my feet were welded to the rock. After some verbal coaxing, Eli placed my hand on the back of his belt and literally led me down the cliff face. I have never forgotten the level of kindness and caring he demonstrated.”
Paul Emery writes, “Eli and I have been musical partners for nearly 35 years but we have known each other since the late 70’s when he played harmonica at Kairos Coffee House in Sacramento. He’d come with an amazing group of musicians from Auburn.
Later in the 80’s we played gigs together around Nevada City, most notably the six years of playing every Thursday night at Wiley’s Bar. He was truly my musical brother and will live in my heart for as long as I play music.”
LeeAnn Brook writes, “Eli’s work was much more than just landscape photography. It was about patience and the painstaking process he chose. Eli demonstrated “slow photography,” sitting all day at the shore of a remote location, to capture one or two images that were ‘worthy’ of an 8 x 10 inch negative from his large format bellows camera.
“Listening to him describe his process was fascinating, as he wove the story of the image that sat in front of you.”
Eli writes,”I have done eleven journeys through the Bolivian Amazon, paddling via expedition kayak loaded with several hundred pounds of gear. In 1986, I made a 500 mile journey including three different rivers. I paddled a total of 1800 miles through pristine Amazon rainforest, amongst jaguars, caiman, parrots, macaws and tribes of monkeys. We camped on beaches or slept in hammocks in the jungle. The cacophony of animal and bird sounds in the morning as the jungle wakes is, well, loud.
“I have done five river trips through the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in northeast Alaska. The Refuge is more than 19 million roadless, trail-less acres that span the North and South slopes of the Brooks Range. It is one of the most remote and beautiful landscapes on Planet Earth. Access to the Refuge is by a long, expensive bush flight. It is home to one of the largest caribou herds on Earth.
“Wolves, grizzly, fox and caribou passed through my camps. At the end of August when night finally returns to the Arctic, Aurora has graced the skies.
“You enter this wild, beautiful place one person, and emerge another, usually several pounds lighter.”
Nevada City Picture Framing will host a show and sale of Eli’s photography June 14 - June 30. His work will also be for sale in Open Studios in October at Nevada City Picture Framing.
There will be a Celebration of Life and a potluck on June 14th, 2 p.m. at Miners Foundry, Nevada City.