RUSING, Russell W. (Russ)

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona, Monday, March 30, 2015 Russell W. Rusing, 95, of Prescott, Arizona, born Aug. 6, 1919, in Des Moines, Iowa, passed away March 22, 2015. Visitation is from 5 to 7 p.m. with Rosary at 7 p.m. April 9, 2015, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 150 Fleury, Prescott. Mass is at 11 a.m. April 10, 2015, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Final commendation will be private at Mountain View Cemetery. Arrangements by Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home. ~~~~~~~~~ The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona, Sunday, April 05, 2015 Russell William Rusing passed away peacefully surrounded by family members on Sunday March 22, 2015 at the age of 95. He was born in Des Moines, Iowa on Aug. 6, 1919, the son of William and Mary Early Rusing and the younger brother to Edward Rusing and Helen Corbin (both deceased). Russ grew up during the Great Depression working in and later running his father's bakery in Des Moines and ultimately made baking his career. Russ moved to Burbank, California to work but joined the U.S. Navy in early 1942. He served as a Baker First Class for three years, eight months and 28 days, seeing duty in the South Pacific (Guadalcanal, Ondonga and Bougainville). After the war Russ worked as a baker in California where he met his wife, Rosemary Burke, through the Fifty-Fifty Club (50 guys and 50 girls), a group sponsored by the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Hollywood, California. They were married on July 26, 1947 and would have celebrated their 68th anniversary this year. Their union has been blessed with five children, 21 grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and counting. Russ moved to Fairbanks, Alaska in 1952 to open a bake shop and the family lived there for 10 years. The bakery was very successful and was chosen to be the first bakery in the U.S. to test the use of plastic bags to package bread. After his bread was purchased, these same bags could then be used as tickets by his customers' kids to gain free access to the movie theater on Saturday mornings. Russ was an innovator; he was always thinking of ways to do things a little bit better, in his business and in everything else that he was involved. Russ moved his family to Prescott, Arizona in 1961 and opened Julie Ann's Bakery, which he operated for 18 years. Julie Ann's was considered a local treasure by the residents and was a "must visit destination" for out-of-town visitors. Often the line of customers trying to buy bread, dunkers and cinnamon confection bread stretched out the front door of the bakery. Russ was always at the bakery providing a friendly welcome to customers, and being a charismatic ambassador for Prescott. Many high school students had their first job at Julie Ann's Bakery and many young children received free cookies and other treats from the bakery. After Russ sold his bakery, he turned his talents and energy toward local charitable activities. He and six other local businessmen started Prescott Charities in 1979, an organization dedicated to acquiring properties for local charities to house their operations. Their initial project was for Yavapai Exceptional Industries (YEI), which provides jobs and job training for area residents with mental and physical disabilities. Prescott Charities now provides three facilities and two residential homes for YEI. Russ was the president and main fundraiser for the organization. He was very proud of the fact that no community donations were spent on administrative costs and that all of the money raised was spent locally. Russ received, on behalf of himself and the organization, various awards and recognition for their accomplishments including the prestigious Arizona Hon Kachina Volunteer Award, the Yavapai County Community Foundation Philanthropist of the Year Award, and the local Salvation Army's Others Award. Although Russ accepted the awards, he was always quick to give the credit to the other board members of Prescott Charities and to all the contractors, suppliers, bankers and citizens of Prescott that generously donated their time and money to the charity's building projects. Russ was one of the organizers of the Prescott Community Cupboard food bank and a long term volunteer. He was also active in the Knights of Columbus, served on the board of directors of the local hospital, sponsored innumerable local sports teams, and helped many organizations with fund raising activities. Equally important was the individual aid and encouragement that Russ provided to folks that he could see needed it. Through a group that refers to themselves as the "Monday Mafia," Russ kept involved in and abreast of local goings on in the community. This was a group of local businessmen that met every Monday for lunch at the Murphy's restaurant to listen to local politicians and community leaders. They discussed issues that affected their businesses and the community. Russ helped start the group and rarely missed a meeting. Russ loved his family and the favorite times of his life involved gatherings with Rosemary and/or one or more of his children and grandchildren; he loved to take them to breakfast, lunch or dinner and to give each of them the encouragement, advice or financial assistance that they needed. His enthusiastic hugs and affection and his contagious love of life will be sorely missed by his family. Russ is survived by his wife Rosemary; his children Tom (Cathey), Dan (Ann), and Julie Ann Acklin (Glenn) of Prescott, and Mick (Carolyn) and Randy (Bev) of Tucson; his grandchildren Clint, Shane, Jack, Amanda, Russell, Lili, Jon, Kean, Ari, Alex, Megan, Emily, Natalie, Brittany, Cali, Olivia, Quinn, Michelle, Ashley, Colton, and Tanner; and great grandchildren Stephen, Audrey, Hudson, Storie, Elliott, Sawyer, Mia, Kaitlin and Miakoda. Visitation will be held at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Thursday, April 9, 2015 from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by a short Rosary service. After the rosary, friends and family can share memories and stories about Russ's life. His funeral will be held the next morning, Friday, April 10, 2015 at 11 a.m., at Sacred Heart Church, with a reception to follow at the home of a family member. The family suggests that any memorial donations made be sent to Prescott Charities, Inc. at 1230 E. Valley View Road, Prescott, AZ 86303. You are invited to log onto www.ruffnerwakelin.com to sign Russ' guestbook and share a memory with the family. Arizona Ruffner Wakelin Funeral Home assisted the family with final arrangements. Information provided by survivors.