Our Mom, Eleanor Joyce Rushia, landed on the wings of angels in Auburn, New York on October 3, 1926, as a gift from God to all who knew her and loved her. Her parents were Robert and Bertha Jones. She attended St Brigid's Catholic School in Watervliet, New York.
Mom moved to her adopted city of Wichita Falls, sixty years ago and never regretted it. She was employed by The Toddle House, Johnson & Johnson, Target, MSU and the Texas Attorney General’s office before retiring. She never met a stranger, never forgot a face and loved to talk to people.
Other than family, the love of her life was her church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church. During the pandemic, she would pass by on a Sunday drive and she would talk about how she missed her good old church. Faith was the cornerstone of her life and got her through many trials and tribulations including being totally deaf and blind on her left side from an injury at the age of thirteen.
Eleanor or “Miss Ellie” as everyone called her as soon as J.R. Ewing hit the screen in the television series, “Dallas”, never grew tired of trying to hit a big jackpot but was a very small time gambler. At the casino, she would do more talking and visiting than playing. She still had scratch-offs from her 95th birthday in October. She liked playing dominoes with her family and friends but excelled at Uno as long as you played by her made up rules.
Miss Ellie worked two jobs to feed, clothe and give her five children a Catholic education when they were young. She was a single mom before it became the norm and held her family together like glue.
On Monday, January 31, 2022, Mom joined her parents (Robert & Bertha Jones), son (Raymond G. Rushia, Jr.) and her brother (Robert Jones) along with a loving grandmother, aunts, uncles and Jesus in heaven. She was a saintly woman who had the misfortune of falling that morning. It was the day the world lost some sunshine.
A memorial Mass will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Friday, February 11, 2022 at 10:00 am with Fr. Albert Francis Kanjirathumkal, celebrant. A rosary in our mother’s honor will begin at 9:15.
She is survived by one son and wife, Mark & Kim Rushia of Euless, TX, three daughters and husbands, Michelle & Allen Gossett of Wichita Falls, TX, Cheryl & Ronnie Beesinger of North Archer County, TX, and Kim & Steve Lawlis of Georgetown, TX. Her ten grandchildren Jennifer Locke, Justin Rushia, Amy Cox, Eric Beesinger, Cari Guidry, Sarah Mire, Jeff Lawlis, Bradley Rushia, Brittany Rushia and Ally Rushia were the light of her life. But the twinkle in her eyes were for her great-grandchildren, Isabella Locke, Alexandra Locke, Olivia Locke, Jade Rushia, Connor Cox, Grant Cox, Wyatt Beesinger, Archer Beesinger, Liam Guidry, Ellie Guidry, Gage Guidry, Juliet Mire, Daphne Mire, Evelyn Mire, Zane Rushia and Ariella Paredes.
Memorials may be made to Meals On Wheels, 1008 Burnett St., Wichita Falls, TX 76301. Thank you to her special guardian angel for calling when she didn’t answer the door.
When you left our Mom’s house, she would frequently say, “Love you always.” We want her to know her entire family will love her always. She loved sayings like “Wish in one hand, spit in the other and see which comes true first” (she always said it the nice way) to the consternation of her younger family members who always tried to figure out what she was saying. So Mom, Grandma, and Gigi we will all “See you in the funny papers” one day soon.
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