George W. Rusch, age 97, entered into eternal life on Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at the Pinecrest Medical Care Facility in Powers.
George was born December 26, 1924 in Chicago, Illinois, the son of George John and Helen Cecelia (Garrity) Rusch. While George was growing up, he lived in Lima, OH, Erie, PA and Schenectady, NY. He graduated from Christian Brothers Academy in Albany, NY in 1942.
Football was a great part of George’s life while he was in high school. He played offensive and defensive end for 3 years, was Captain of the team his Senior year and was selected to the Capital District, Albany, NY All Area First Team. Before plastic helmets were used, he was selected by his coach to wear a plastic helmet for two years for test purposes to document his game experience to the manufactures prior to manufacture and marketing the helmet. The following year plastic helmets were appearing on the market. He was named to the Christian Brothers Academy Hall of Fame in 1948. He received several college football scholarship offers upon graduation.
Although George had several football scholarship offers, he chose in April 1943 to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. Following boot camp at Paris Island, SC, he was assigned to Aviation Machinist’s Mate School (AD) NATTC in Memphis, TN. He graduated with the rank of Corporal.
Prior to finishing school, a notice was posted for the selection of one Marine from the 5000 Marine detachment, attending the school at the time to attend college in the V12 Program. This program provided enlisted personnel the opportunity to attend a year or two of college to provide future Marine Corps Officers. He was selected as the one man from the Marine Corps detachment. He was transferred to Camp Lejune, North Carolina and selected Dartmouth College. He proceeded to the Marine detachment at Hanover, NH in mid-1944. He returned to civilian life after being Honorably Discharged as a Corporal and was sworn in as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve in June 1945. He returned to Dartmouth to complete his Civil Engineering degree.
While at Dartmouth, George played football at offensive and defensive end from 1944-46. He was selected to the 1945 Norte Dame All Opponent team by the players at Norte Dame, was named one of the best ends in 20 years at Dartmouth by the Boston Globe in 1946, was named to the AP All American Honorable Mention Team in 1946. George was invited by the Green Bay Packers and the Los Angeles Rams to try out.
After graduation from Dartmouth in 1947, George was hired by New York Telephone Company in Albany, NY on their Management Training Program. After several years he was recalled by the Marines in the Korean Conflict in 1951. He served as a First Lieutenant of a Heavy Machine Gun Platoon at Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia. Following months of active service, George returned to the Telephone Company in the Chief Engineers Office. George was promoted to Captain in 1952 and Honorably Discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in February 1958.
While working at NYT George played semi pro football with the Schenectady, NY Martinac Packers in 1947. For the next 3 years he was the part time General Manager and Line coach. When called back into service in 1951 he played end on the Quantico Marine team playing with college stars and professional players.
George was united in marriage to Helen V. Hoyler on April 3, 1948 in New York, NY. Together they had four sons. In 1953, George worked for the Mohawk Brush Company in Albany as Personnel Manager. He determined at that time he would move to Escanaba with his family and become a Sales Manager for Hoyler and Bauer Company in 1954. In 1956 he purchased Cloverland College and revamped the college curriculum to include varied liberal arts and management courses and initiated an extensive testing and counseling program for all entering students. George eventually closed Cloverland College and secured employment at K.I. Sawyer in the Engineering and Construction Division as Chief of Planning and Programming. Soon after he was promoted to Chief of Industrial Engineering and Analysis Division.
George served on the Escanaba City Council and Delta County Board of Commissioners in 1958, was the Dedication Chairman of the new Delta County Courthouse in 1961was elected Mayor of Escanaba from 1964 to 1966. He was also active at varying times in the Escanaba Chamber of Commerce, Rotary International, Boy Scouts, Junior Achievement Lions Club and Knights of Columbus and coached football at the Holy Name High School.
In 1969 George was offered employment at UPCAP as Director of Small Business Development. He was placed in charge of establishing three Planning and Development Regions in Sault Ste. Marie (EUPPED), Houghton (WUPPED) and Escanaba (CUPPAD).
In 1977 George worked in the Legislative House Fiscal Agency in Lansing, MI. He retired in 1987.
George wrote and had published in the State of Michigan Legislative Periodicals the following articles: “Planning Concepts for the Layman”, in the Michigan Courthouse Review, April, 1968 and the Michigan Planning News, June, 1968 as well as “Legislative Policy Planning”, in the Review of the State of Michigan Fiscal Budgetary Process, November, 1976.
During his working career, George continued to expand his education by taking varied courses at Union College, Schenectady, NY, Siena College, Loudonville, NY, University of Michigan Ext, Escanaba, MI, Lansing Community College, Lansing, MI and the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio as part of his Air Force postition at K.I. Sawyer AFB.
George was an active member of St. Anne Catholic Church, working with Catholics Returning Home and the Cursillo/Ultreya weekly meetings.
George was united in marriage to the former Susan Delvaux, the love of his life, February 23, 1978 in Lansing, Michigan. In addition to his wife, survivors include his sons, George (Asharaine) Rusch of Seattle, WA, Richard (Cheryl) Rusch of Escanaba, MI and Robert (Melinda) Rusch of Jacksonville, NC; seven grandchildren, Benjamin, Bryan, Heather, Kristoffer, Nathan, Robert and William.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, David and brother Lawrence (Katherine) Rusch.
George’s family will receive friends on Monday, November 7 from 10:00 to 11:45 AM at St. Anne Catholic Church in Escanaba. Military Honors will be presented at 11:45 by the Delta County Veterans Council. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 12:00 PM with Fr. Fran DeGroot officiating. A luncheon will follow in the parish hall. George will be laid to rest in the Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery in Escanaba.
The Rusch family is being assisted by the Skradski Family Funeral Home in Escanaba.