RUTH LOUISE RUSSELL GRAY

GRAY, ESQ., RUTH LOUISE RUSSELL, 92, of Eustis, FL, died on Feb. 22, 2012, at the Hospice House in Tavares. The daughter of the late Stanley A. Russell and
Elinor Harriet Agar Russell, Ruth was born Jan. 2, 1920, and raised in Montclair, NJ. She graduated from the Kimberley School in Montclair in 1937, Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Chicago in 1943, and Rutgers Law School in 1955. Ms. Gray was a member of the New Jersey and Florida Bar Associations. She practiced law in New Jersey for thirty-five years before moving to Florida. During that time, she is believed to be the first woman attorney in New Jersey to open her own law firm, specializing in family law. Later she became a partner in the firm of Gray, Schmidt, and Van Pelt, the first all female law firm in New Jersey. She was fiercely independent, a crusader for women's rights, and an advocate for health care reform for women and Planned Parenthood. She later specialized in labor and employment law, served as an arbitrator, magistrate, hearing officer and before the NLRB. She represented Dr. Grace Pierce in the landmark whistle blower/employee at will case of Pierce v. Ortho Pharmaceutical Corp., still regularly cited. According to Joyce Harrington, her former secretary, "she is most remembered and admired as a mentor to women, especially in law and education". Ms. Gray was one of the original organizers of the North Plainfield State Bank in New Jersey later known as Rock Bank and now known as Valley National Bank and served for many years on its Board of Directors. She lectured and taught adult education courses and was a founding member of the Watchung Hills Regional Adult School. She served on many community boards in New Jersey including the YMCA, YWCA, Somerset County Library Commission, Homemaker Services and Rural Dental Services, and the Governor's Anti-Poverty Commission. After moving to Florida, she continued her active involvement in community organizations including the Golden Triangle Federated Republican Women's Club, the Board of Adjustment of Lake County, the League of Women Voters, Lake Joanna Improvement League, as president of the Lake County Conservation Council and with the Unitarian Universalist Assoc. of Lake County. She was a member of the Cornerstone Society of WMFE TV and 90.7, Amnesty International, the Sierra Club, and Audubon Society. In her early life, Ruth loved horses and dogs. During her years in Lake County, she was an equally passionate and active golfer even through her last years. She loved to travel and continued to do so visiting many parts of the world. After studying various religions and philosophies, early in her life, Ruth became a devoted Unitarian Universalist. Ruth was predeceased by her sister and two brothers, Mary Adele Russell Beers, Stanley A. Russell, Jr. and James A. Russell as well as her former husbands. Ruth is survived by nieces and nephews including Marilyn Russell of Fairbanks, AK, David Russell of Eugene, Oregon, Elinor Russell, James Russell, Jr., Eric Russell and Russell Beers of Colorado and Alan Russell of Massachusetts. A celebration of Ruth's life will be held at the Women's Club in Eustis, FL, on April 1, 2012, at 3 PM. In lieu of flowers, contributions in her memory may be made to any of the organizations Ruth supported during her lifetime.