Longtime Volunteer Ruth Rusie '40 to Serve as Grand Marshal of Parade

September 28, 2008

September 28, 2008, Greencastle, Ind. - "When a woman nears 90 years old and has devoted much of her life to the community, she could just rest on her laurels and let her community serve her," begins an article on a 1940 DePauw University graduate published in today's Reporter-Times of Martinsville, Indiana. "But that thought is not a part of Ruth Rusie's schoolteacher mindset. She has no plans to sit on the sidelines when she's still able to help so many people through the local literacy program that she helped to establish."

Bette Nunn writes, "The Fall Foliage Festival Board is honoring (Rusie) for her long-time commitment and dedication to the people of Martinsville and Morgan County by naming her grand marshal of the 49th annual festival parade, which is on Sunday, Oct. 12."

A retired school teacher, Rusie's volunteer activities include helping local residents with literacy skills. "We teach English to a lot of people who have come here from foreign countries," she tells the newspaper. Nunn adds, "Within the last two weeks, Rusie assisted a local teen in getting her General Educational Development diploma."

Ruth (Ritz) Rusie also serves on several boards, including those of the Martinsville Arts Council, Morgan County Public Library Foundation Board and the Martinsville Education Foundation Board. She has also worked to bring concerts to her community.

"Over the years, I think that civilizations have deteriorated if they did not continue their arts and music culture," Rusie states. "We started the Community Concerts in 1994, and the concerts continue today. They bring professional artists here."

The story notes that its subject "met her husband-to-be, H. Robert Rusie, at DePauw University, where she received a degree in elementary education. He earned a business degree and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa." Mr. Rusie passed away in 2000.

The complete feature -- headlined "Still serving as age 90 nears -- can be accessed at the Reporter-Times' Web site.

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