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Rusch, Helen G.

November 12, 1924 –
 February 19, 2014

Obituary

Helen Geneva (Ragon) Rusch, baptized into the hope of Christ’s resurrection, died from complications of pneumonia on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, in Irving, Texas. Helen leaves a cherished legacy of love, which showed itself in countless traits, including her goodness, diligence, and generosity. The fifth of nine children, Helen was born Nov. 12, 1924, to Garret and Laura (Schontz) Ragon. She grew up in Casey, Illinois. She and her husband, Norman Rusch, were married June 18, 1949, in Indianapolis and had six children. Their fourth child, Cheryl Ann, died in infancy; first-born Catherine Rusch Davis of St. Louis died in 2010. Helen and Norm were married for 45 years, until Norm’s death in 1995. Helen is also pre-deceased by brothers Clarence Ragon, Leonard Ragon, Carl Ragon, and William Ragon, and by sisters Doris Sackewitz, Edna Florence, and Marie Traylor. In addition to her sister Delores Apple of California and numerous nieces and nephews, Helen is survived by her children, who are so thankful for their mother’s lifelong gift of selfless love, which she shared equally with their spouses: Linda Rusch Althoff (William) of Irving; Stephen Rusch of Miami; Mark Rusch (Ellen) of Plano, and Patricia Rusch Donovan (Steven) of Dallas. She is also survived by thirteen grandchildren, whose love for their grandmother is exceeded only by hers for them: Jarrett Davis (Courtney), Sarah Davis Rosen (Jon), and Zachary Davis (Paola); Matthew Althoff (Heather) and Anne Althoff; Patrick Rusch; Kathryn Rusch Agruso (Paul), Rachel Rusch, and Benjamin Rusch; and Daniel Donovan, John Donovan, Joseph Donovan, and Andrew Donovan; Helen’s family and love extend to her five great-grandchildren: Samuel Althoff and Maggie Althoff; Catherine Rosen; and Teresa Agruso and David Agruso. Following their years in Indianapolis, New Jersey, and Houston, Helen and Norm retired to Fairfield Glade, Tennessee, where they continued a commitment of active involvement in their parish. Helen remained in Fairfield Glade for seven years after Norm’s passing, moving to the Dallas area in 2002 to be nearer three of her children. She was an early resident of St. Joseph Village in Coppell. When the effects of Alzheimer’s no longer allowed her to continue living independently, Helen moved to Silverado-Valley Ranch. Her children are so grateful for the tender care she received there for the past 18 months. In addition to being a supportive and loving mother, Helen delighted in her role as grandmother – “the kind of grandma what plays.” She happily sprawled on the floor for Stratego games, enthusiastically pitched whiffle balls to eager batters, patiently instructed flour-filled kitchen endeavors, and joyfully monitored playground outings. Always – always – her priority was her family. The sadness of Alzheimer’s does not erase the significance of her character. A memorial Mass in the chapel at St. Joseph’s Village, 1201 E Sandy Lake Rd, Coppell, will be at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28.  In lieu of flowers, donations to the Alzheimer’s Foundation or to Hospice of Cumberland County (TN) would be appreciated. Please send the family condolences and sign the guest book on this site. Arrangements are under the direction of: Aria Cremation Service & Funeral Home 1820 N. Belt Line Road Irving, Texas 75061

    Valerie Blackwell
    27 Feb 2014
    1:23pm

    With a heavy heart I pray for strength and comfort for the Rusch family during this difficult time.

    Marigay Black
    28 Feb 2014
    12:47pm

    I lift your family in prayer during this time of sadness. Mrs. Rusch was a wonderful lady and you have such great memories to carry you through. This is a time to celebrate her love for all, and her legacy is evident in the family stories shared in her obituary.

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"Nothing prepares you for the grief you go through when losing a child. I called this funeral home at 2:00 am broken and could barely talk. The amount of compassion and empathy they showed me immediately let me know I found the right place to cremate my son. I cannot thank them enough for their professionalism, SINCERE concern, and commitment to making sure my son was honored in the most respectful way. I hope this Funeral home values her as much as my family and I do."
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"Wayne and Staff, thank you for taking care of the arrangements for our mom, Exter McGee and our dad, Philip McGee. You have been great to work with during such a difficult time."
Elledge Family
Elledge Family
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"On behalf of my family, I wanted you to know how much we appreciate your handling of my husband's final arrangements. Wayne Baxter assisted & guided us through the entire process with such care & compassion. Don't know what we would have done without him! Sincerely, Colleen Elledge"
The Peterson Family
The Peterson FamilyYelp! Review - Northwest Highway 5-Stars
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"I can’t say enough about how helpful and professional Dusty Martin, the funeral director at the Aria Cremation location on NW Highway has been. From my initial call, he was kind and informative. My friend died at home while on hospice and she was picked up in about an hour after receiving the call from the hospice nurse. The person who arrived to pick her up was also very professional/respectful and allowed us to take as much time with her as we wished. When I met with Dusty the next day about arrangements, he explained the process and options available without being pushy or trying to “sell” extras. Throughout the process, he kept me informed and, for example, was careful to be certain I understood the cost of the obituary I wanted and offered some options for reducing that cost if I wished. When I stopped by for another reason and started talking about some of the problems I was having with the pictures and media I hoped to use at a memorial lunch I was planning, he not only listened patiently but offered technology advice and let me use his personal media player. I have had experience arranging cremations for four others using two other local companies, and this experience with Dusty at Aria has been by far the best one I have had."
Paula Barnes
Paula BarnesGoogle Review
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"My Daddy’s service and our family experience at Aria Northwest Highway was truly blessed. Funeral Director Dustin Martin is the kind of person that you would like to see on a more regular basis – but in his industry – you hope to not see him that often. That being said – THANK YOU DUSTIN for your unending kindness, compassion and friendship through the process. Meeting you and discussing Dallas History, Find A Grave and my Dad’s lifelong contributions to the great City of Dallas was simply wonderful! In memory of my dad James A. Dodd, Sr. – I want to personally thank you and let you know that you made everything better in that moment. Your calling to “Be There” is spot on. Aria has a one in a million guy in you! Bling Blinky of TEXAS Shout Out: God Bless You!!"
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