Bennie Helen Rusk went to her eternal rest September 17, 2018, at 98 years of age.
Bennie was born on January 1, 1920, in Robert Lee, to Dr. Finis K. and Lillian B. Turney.
She was educated in Robert Lee and San Angelo, where she went to high school. Bennie earned her B.A. from Texas State College for Women, now Texas Women's University, in Denton.
Her first job was teaching home economics in Blackwell. During World War II, she worked as an air traffic controller at Love Field in Dallas.
In 1943, she married her childhood sweetheart, John Roger Simpson of Robert Lee. While John flew missions in the Pacific war, she lived with her in-laws in El Paso, where her son John Mack Simpson was born in 1944. Her husband died in a bomber explosion in 1945.
Bennie Helen then moved to Alpine, where she taught home economics and earned a master's degree at Sul Ross.
In 1956, she married Carl J. Rusk, an employee of Southwestern Bell Telephone. Two years later, the Rusks moved to Lubbock, where Bennie Helen taught special education and became assistant director of special education for the Lubbock school district.
Upon retiring in 1973, the Rusks moved back to the Turney farm in Robert Lee. They raised Beefmaster cattle and traveled widely to telephone insulator shows. Bennie Helen also enjoyed quilting. Carl Rusk died in 2001.
Bennie Helen moved to Estes Park, Colorado to be with her son, John and daughter-in-law Jeanne Simpson. She enjoyed activity at the senior center and was a member of the Red Hat Society. She attended the Methodist church there and also in Phoenix, where the Simpsons and Bennie Helen lived for six years. In 2010, the family moved to Marfa. She returned to San Angelo in 2013.
Bennie Helen was preceded in death by her sisters, Midgie and Ila Ruth.
She is survived by her son, John and his wife, grandchildren Beth, David, and Cara, and three great grandchildren. She was loved by all who met her and will be remembered with affection, smiles, and laughter.
Bennie was born on January 1, 1920, in Robert Lee, to Dr. Finis K. and Lillian B. Turney.
She was educated in Robert Lee and San Angelo, where she went to high school. Bennie earned her B.A. from Texas State College for Women, now Texas Women's University, in Denton.
Her first job was teaching home economics in Blackwell. During World War II, she worked as an air traffic controller at Love Field in Dallas.
In 1943, she married her childhood sweetheart, John Roger Simpson of Robert Lee. While John flew missions in the Pacific war, she lived with her in-laws in El Paso, where her son John Mack Simpson was born in 1944. Her husband died in a bomber explosion in 1945.
Bennie Helen then moved to Alpine, where she taught home economics and earned a master's degree at Sul Ross.
In 1956, she married Carl J. Rusk, an employee of Southwestern Bell Telephone. Two years later, the Rusks moved to Lubbock, where Bennie Helen taught special education and became assistant director of special education for the Lubbock school district.
Upon retiring in 1973, the Rusks moved back to the Turney farm in Robert Lee. They raised Beefmaster cattle and traveled widely to telephone insulator shows. Bennie Helen also enjoyed quilting. Carl Rusk died in 2001.
Bennie Helen moved to Estes Park, Colorado to be with her son, John and daughter-in-law Jeanne Simpson. She enjoyed activity at the senior center and was a member of the Red Hat Society. She attended the Methodist church there and also in Phoenix, where the Simpsons and Bennie Helen lived for six years. In 2010, the family moved to Marfa. She returned to San Angelo in 2013.
Bennie Helen was preceded in death by her sisters, Midgie and Ila Ruth.
She is survived by her son, John and his wife, grandchildren Beth, David, and Cara, and three great grandchildren. She was loved by all who met her and will be remembered with affection, smiles, and laughter.
Bennie Helen Rusk went to her eternal rest September 17, 2018, at 98 years of age.
Bennie was born on January 1, 1920, in Robert Lee, to Dr. Finis K. and Lillian B. Turney.
She was educated in Robert Lee and San Angelo, where she went to high school. Bennie earned her B.A. from Texas State College for Women, now Texas Women's University, in Denton.
Her first job was teaching home economics in Blackwell. During World War II, she worked as an air traffic controller at Love Field in Dallas.
In 1943, she married her childhood sweetheart, John Roger Simpson of Robert Lee. While John flew missions in the Pacific war, she lived with her in-laws in El Paso, where her son John Mack Simpson was born in 1944. Her husband died in a bomber explosion in 1945.
Bennie Helen then moved to Alpine, where she taught home economics and earned a master's degree at Sul Ross.
In 1956, she married Carl J. Rusk, an employee of Southwestern Bell Telephone. Two years later, the Rusks moved to Lubbock, where Bennie Helen taught special education and became assistant director of special education for the Lubbock school district.
Upon retiring in 1973, the Rusks moved back to the Turney farm in Robert Lee. They raised Beefmaster cattle and traveled widely to telephone insulator shows. Bennie Helen also enjoyed quilting. Carl Rusk died in 2001.
Bennie Helen moved to Estes Park, Colorado to be with her son, John and daughter-in-law Jeanne Simpson. She enjoyed activity at the senior center and was a member of the Red Hat Society. She attended the Methodist church there and also in Phoenix, where the Simpsons and Bennie Helen lived for six years. In 2010, the family moved to Marfa. She returned to San Angelo in 2013.
Bennie Helen was preceded in death by her sisters, Midgie and Ila Ruth.
She is survived by her son, John and his wife, grandchildren Beth, David, and Cara, and three great grandchildren. She was loved by all who met her and will be remembered with affection, smiles, and laughter.
Bennie was born on January 1, 1920, in Robert Lee, to Dr. Finis K. and Lillian B. Turney.
She was educated in Robert Lee and San Angelo, where she went to high school. Bennie earned her B.A. from Texas State College for Women, now Texas Women's University, in Denton.
Her first job was teaching home economics in Blackwell. During World War II, she worked as an air traffic controller at Love Field in Dallas.
In 1943, she married her childhood sweetheart, John Roger Simpson of Robert Lee. While John flew missions in the Pacific war, she lived with her in-laws in El Paso, where her son John Mack Simpson was born in 1944. Her husband died in a bomber explosion in 1945.
Bennie Helen then moved to Alpine, where she taught home economics and earned a master's degree at Sul Ross.
In 1956, she married Carl J. Rusk, an employee of Southwestern Bell Telephone. Two years later, the Rusks moved to Lubbock, where Bennie Helen taught special education and became assistant director of special education for the Lubbock school district.
Upon retiring in 1973, the Rusks moved back to the Turney farm in Robert Lee. They raised Beefmaster cattle and traveled widely to telephone insulator shows. Bennie Helen also enjoyed quilting. Carl Rusk died in 2001.
Bennie Helen moved to Estes Park, Colorado to be with her son, John and daughter-in-law Jeanne Simpson. She enjoyed activity at the senior center and was a member of the Red Hat Society. She attended the Methodist church there and also in Phoenix, where the Simpsons and Bennie Helen lived for six years. In 2010, the family moved to Marfa. She returned to San Angelo in 2013.
Bennie Helen was preceded in death by her sisters, Midgie and Ila Ruth.
She is survived by her son, John and his wife, grandchildren Beth, David, and Cara, and three great grandchildren. She was loved by all who met her and will be remembered with affection, smiles, and laughter.
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