Vera Rush

Born Vera Mae Mitchell in Pea Ridge Arkansas to Otis and Mae Mitchell and joined her older sister Eileen two years her senior. The family was complete and the sisters remained companions throughout their long lives. To say they grew up poor would be an understatement and many of today’s children cannot even imagine the life they lived. Their house wasn’t much, bare boards, no paint, no indoor plumbing a shack by today’s standards, but is was where they lived as a shelter from the storm. In 1929, Vera was four and her sister Eileen was six, their house burned; there was nothing left. Only a few photos, Vera’s toy iron and a few metal tools survived. Everything was just gone; they lived with Grandma and Grandpa Crabtree for a short time while recovering from the setback. It was now 1930; there wasn’t much work in Arkansas, the weather had been bad, and the economy was only getting worse. After the fire, there wasn’t anything holding them back. Otis had been thinking about moving to Oregon. He had an uncle in Oregon, Uncle George Givens. Uncle George offered to help him find work and the decision was made. It was a big decision to move so far away; most of their families were all in Arkansas and it would be so hard to leave everyone behind. So, in 1930, when Vera was 5 and Eileen was 7, the family left for Oregon. They had a car and very little else as the family headed out to Oregon. There were no interstate highways then; mostly dirt or gravel roads to travel the 2000 miles to their destination; camping along the way.(I have no idea where the car came from). Everyone chipped in to help them get started so at least they had some basics to start new life. Everything they owned was piled in the back seat of the car with the girls on top. Ever see a model T? – they are small! Otis found work in Donald, Oregon and the family moved across the street from Donald grade school where Vera started grade school in a one room classroom. Later she attended Waconda grade school. Living in tents, the family worked harvesting crops by hand in the central Willamette Valley every summer: strawberries, raspberries, cherries, beans and hops. (by the way, the 1930s were the hottest decade in the 20th century). Everyone worked to be sure they had enough to get through the winter. Work was still difficult to find, and her dad couldn’t always find enough to get through until spring. In the fall after the hop crop was in, the family would rent a house and enroll the girls in school. They understood a good education was important for future success. By the time the girls reached high school age they had saved enough to buy a lot in Keizer, Oregon and Otis started building a small two-bedroom house. While it was covered in tarpaper for a few years before completely finished, for the first time they had running water and indoor plumbing. (a quote from Vera) Vera and her sister attended Salem High School and graduated in 1942 with enough secretarial skills to find work. Vera’s Beau: Bill Rush, was drafted in 1942 and stationed in the Pacific Theater until the end of WWII. Many letters exchanged and lots of worries. Vera started College at OSU in Corvallis in the fall of 1945. Bill mustered out of the army in December of 1945. Bill rode the train from Salem to visit Vera in Corvallis. He convinced her to marry him, and they were married in Reno, Nevada April 1, 1946. Bill found employment at the OSU Film library, and they lived the rest of their lives in Corvallis, Oregon Life moves quickly at times, their first child, Alan, arrived early, in late December 1946. Alan was a darling boy and very much loved. They bought a lot on Walnut Street, when Walnut Street was a dirt dead-end lane and you could see the horizon in all directions. They built their tarpapered cabin and planted a big garden. Over years the house was finished and remodeled; a garage built. Alan became ill and passed away at four years old. It was a rough time, and Vera always missed her little boy. After a time, Bill promised her she would have indoor plumbing by the time her next child was born. Indoor plumbing arrived one month before daughter Ruth arrived on the scene in 1952. Brother Steve arrived in 1955 and the house addition was finished. Vera worked evenings when the kids were little. Once in school Vera worked 10-month jobs as school a secretary; Corvallis High School counseling center, Wilson and Franklin grade school. That freed her up to teach her kids how to work. From a young age she took Ruth and Steve out to pick raspberries and beans. Next, she helped them carefully manage their money. When they were older, they “got” to bike to the bus stop and catch a bus to go to work without her. (She was a great mom! We learned so much from her!) And what did she do with bean/berry money she earned teaching her kids to work? She saved it and financed a 6-week trip across the United States. Everyone was packed in a 1955 Buick sedan pulling a 15’ trailer. The family visited multiple states (especially the capital buildings – Vera loved them), Bill’s Army buddies, a slew of Vera’s Arkansas relatives, the Pea Ridge Civil War Battlefield, Arkansas diamond mines and finally Washington DC. And the return trip ran through Chicago, the Dakota Badlands, Mt Rushmore, and Yellowstone. Vera, a woman of many talents, a seamstress who made clothes for all her family, was a quilter, not just piecing them together, but a hand quilter as well, bread baker, loved reading, played the accordion and harmonica, was a bowler, knitter, calligrapher, president and/or treasurer of various organizations, gardener/canner, tent camper and later belonged to an Aristocrat trailer group. She was one talented lady! And will be very much missed!

Tributes

Vera Rush

July 13, 1925 - August 3, 2026