Grace Marie SMYTH

   Other names for Grace were Mrs. Grace Marie RUSLING and Mrs. Oliver Ward RUSLING.

   User ID: P00050251.

  General Notes:

Muth's Obit--

GRACE MARIE SMYTH RUSLING, born July 19, 1918 in Yonkers, NY, passed away on August 29, 1996 after a brief illness. Her education included graduation from Yonkers High School in 1936 and undergraduate studies at West Los Angeles Community College and UCLA. After receiving her real estate brokers license, she worked in the Hancock Park and Beverly Hills areas. A longtime resident of Los Angeles, CA, she participated in activities at the L.A. Convention Center and was a member of Town and Gown of the University of Southern California. She moved to Durango, CO in 1995 where she was active in the Mercy Hospital Auxiliary Guild and enjoyed the many activities of her new community.

A wonderful mother and role model, Grace is loved and will be missed by her family--son, Ward Rusling, San Marino, CA; son and daughter-in-law, John and Jody Rusling, San Marino, CA; daughter and son-in-law, Diane and MacDonald Becket, Durango, CO; grandchildren, Jacqueline, Devon, J. Bryan, and Brett; brother and sister-in-law, Robert and Loyce Smyth, Colorado Springs, CO.; and nieces and nephews in New York, Virginia, Mississippi, and Colorado. She was preceded in death by her parents, Ella Lynch Smyth and Peter F. Smyth, and sister, Eileen Smyth DeLauzon. Grace was blessed with many wonderful friends--old and new--in all parts of the United States who will remember her for her positive and fun nature, loyalty, and passion for learning.

Memorial masses will be at the Santa Teresita Chapel, 819 Buena Vista Street, Duarte, CA (818 359-3243) on Saturday, September 21 at 11 AM and at St. Columba Catholic Church, 1800 E. 2nd Ave., Durango, CO (970 247-0044) on Saturday, September 28 at 10 AM. A private burial is planned in the Hermosa Cemetery in Durango. In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Town and Gown of USC Scholarship Fund c/o E. Biggs, P.O. Box 1507, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 for the Grace Smyth Rusling Scholarship.

A TRIBUTE TO OUR MOTHER (by Diane Rusling Becket)

She was called different names by all of us--Grace, Ellen, Mother Dear, Muth, Grandmother, and even Marigold--names of birth and endearment. Grace Marie Smyth Rusling leaves us not only with wonderful and poignant memories of our days spent with her, but also with a strong legacy--one of loyalty, high standards, infallible values, a passion for education, and a daily goal of making the most out of each day.

Grace Marie Smyth was born on July 19, 1918 in Yonkers, New York, a train ride away from the heart of Manhattan. The second child of Ella Lynch Smyth and Peter Francis Smyth, she attended local parochial and public schools and graduated from Yonkers High School in 1936. She worked in the Bell Laboratories located in "the city" and then met and married Oliver Ward Rusling in the midst of World War II. They were blessed with three perfect (well almost perfect) children. Ward Robert and John Bruce were born in Santa Monica, CA, and Diane Ellen, in Denver, CO. Grace was especially happy that the third was a girl because then she could escape from learning baseball and football rules. The family spent the majority of their formative years in Merion Station, PA, a suburb of Philadelphia, where Grace occupied her time being a full time mother, devoted to developing her children's talents and giving them a strong sense of the importance of education.

Over the years, Grace maintained friendships with people from Yonkers and her days at the Bell Labs and developed strong bonds with families in Merion Station. Having a sense of loyalty and devotion to old friends, she kept many of these relationships for over sixty years, providing an excellent example for her children.

In 1966, the family moved from Pennsylvania to Los Angeles where Grace found new activities, interests, and friends. She attended classes at West Los Angeles Community College and UCLA and received an Associate of Arts degree in philosophy. She loved all of the city's museums and access to theater. When her brother Bob, sister Eileen, and sister-in-law Loyce came to visit, she loved to show off all the high points of L.A. Loyce and Grace would shop 'til they dropped and loved every minute. Having an interest in business and the local real estate market, Grace acquired first her license in real estate and then a broker's license. At first, she worked in Hancock Park and Beverly Hills, meeting a variety of clients and "sharks". This is actually where she acquired the name "Ellen". In the first office she worked, there was another Grace, so she chose the name Ellen as her professional name. After a few years of real estate experience, she moved to the leasing office at ParkLaBrea where she had lived for a number of years. There, she was both a leasing agent and manager and remained until her early 70s. She loved meeting potential tenants, selecting the best apartments for those she liked. In fact, many of her closest friends today are people she interviewed and placed in apartments when they came to ParkLaBrea.

Since our grandmother lived to be 105 years old, Grace spent a number of years making sure Nana had the best of care. She was a devoted and loving daughter, always making her mother laugh and "behave". During those years, Grace found time to become involved in activities at the Los Angeles Convention Center, acting as a greeter and representative, positions that not only came naturally but also were satisfying. She became a devoted fan of USC, especially the football team and the marching band, and joined Town and Gown of USC, the oldest and largest ladies' support group at the University. Always interested in expanding her horizons, Grace traveled to some wonderful spots; she especially enjoyed her trips to China, Israel, Turkey, Greece, and England.

In March of 1995, Grace moved to a condominium at The Ranch in Durango, CO. She had spent almost ten years visiting Diane and Don there for both Christmas and summers and loved the mountains and small town atmosphere. Wasting no time, Grace immediately joined a bridge group, the hospital auxiliary, a book discussion group, the library guild, and a water aerobics class. She loved every minute of her busy schedule and the lovely people she was meeting. In a short time, wonderful friendships developed.

As our mother touched all of your lives, she made ours both memorable and fulfilling. We have her to thank for most of what we are today and for what we hope to be in the future. She fostered our belief in the value of education and our quest for high standards. The similarities her three children share with her character and personality and one another, we celebrate, and the differences, we recognize and appreciate. Her four grandchildren, Jacqueline, Devon, J. Bryan, and Brett, have had the benefit of knowing their grandmother who encouraged strong, "old-fashioned" values. Recently, they learned how important her respect for education was through her example and encouragement. They have recognized her spirit--of fun, great wit, friendship, the importance of family, and unconditional love.

Our parents cast long shadows over our lives. When we grow up, we imagine that we can walk in the sun, free of them. We don't realize, until it's too late, that we have no choice in the matter; they're always ahead of us. We carry them within us all our lives--in the shape of our face, the way we walk, the sound of our voice, our skin, our hair , our hands, our heart. We try all our lives to separate ourselves from them, and only when they are gone do we find we are indivisible. Richard Eyre

We will all miss Grace. She was unique; she is one not to be forgotten. We thank you all for your friendship and love.

Grace married Oliver Ward RUSLING, son of George Edward RUSLING and Marion WARD, on 29 Nov 1942 in New York, New York, New York, USA. (Oliver Ward RUSLING was born on 28 May 1918 in Newport, Rhode Island, USA and died on 16 Sep 1996 in Palm Springs, CA.)